The Greene Farm
by Solangelo-Infection332
Summary: WD Omega-verse, set in Season 2. Sofiya's missing, Carl's shot, Lori's…WHAT? The tension is high in the Flock as they settle onto the Greene's farm, hopefully for winter. But with Lori playing Alpha against Alpha, and Daryl trying to find Sofiya before it's too late, what's going to happen when the Flock has to deal with other Packs AND Walkers…where again!
1. CDC Part 2

After the CDC blew up, the caravan drove in the opposite direction until they ran out of gas, which was less than 4 hours away. It starts with Shane's truck and with one honk, the group stops.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asks around his thumb where he was chewing on the nail. Coming up beside the sheriff, Shane gets out of the car, slamming the door shut.

"Out of gas." The Alpha spits on the ground. The group piles out of the cars to see what the commotion was all about. Once the situation was explained, they split up to syphon from the surrounding cars. Carol and Lori take the pups back to the RV to play a card game while everyone else got to work. Once all the gas was siphoned from the cars, the group starts to gather anything of use with Rick's urging to replace the things they had lost in the CDC. They find a couple bottles of aspirin and water and more clothes. They pile everything into the RV and come together to discuss what their next move would be.

"Fort Benning." Was the first thing out of Shane's mouth when the Alpha comes over to the group.

"We won't make it, not on the food and gas we have left. We need to think more realistic; what can we do with what we have." Rick shakes his head, "Glenn, can you think of anything that we could use that is close by?"

The Asian Alpha considers the question for a moment before he answers. "We could go back…?"

It comes out more like a question, as if he wasn't sure it was the right thing to say. Shane bares his teeth at the Alpha with a snarl, ready to get in his face. "Back!? You want us to go back to the fucking CDC? Next time we ask you for an idea, it better be a good one. We give you the chance to prove you're an Alpha and that's all you can come up with? I should put you to use with the other Omegas since that seems like all your good for."

Rick has the Alpha on his stomach, face in the dirt before Shane can lay his hand on Glenn. His teeth are biting down on his partner's glands, forcing yelps and whines from Shane's throat while T - Dog pulls Glenn away, the young Alpha baring his own neck with a whimper. Daryl has his crossbow set against Shane's head, taking deep breathes and glances at Rick's Pack to make sure they were ok. The Omega was tempted to unload an arrow into the Alpha's head and be done with it, but instead he looks to Rick and waits. Rick rumbles loudly and threatening at the other Alpha but sends Daryl a nod to let him up. The Omegan archer huffs but pulls back, the arrow stays trained on the other Alpha.

Rick gets off Shane with one last rumble of warning and sits next to the man. "Glenn isn't a part of your Pack; he's one of mine. You have NO say in anything regarding them. Next time you say something out of line, or you try to put your hands on one of my own, I will make you submit… in true Traditional fashion. I don't think the Gamma life is appealing to you, is it?"

Shane lowers his chin slightly to the side with an angry rumble. Rick rumbles in warning before he gets up, pulling Shane up with him. "Go check on the others, see how they're doing with the cars."

Once Shane leaves Rick turns to Glenn to check on the Alpha. Glenn steps right up to Rick and bares his throat completely to the Prime, whining loudly when Rick refuses to Scent his neck. The Alpha lays his hand on Glenn's neck and rubs his scent into the skin, a gentle and comforting rumble whispers into the Packs ears. Once Glenn had calmed down, Rick addresses the Alpha's decision. "Now why did you want to go back?"

"I just thought we might be able to defend ourselves better if we had the guns and ammo and military issued vehicles that we left in front of the CDC. We might not find another haul like that… ever." Glenn's eyes stayed glued to the ground as he whispers. "And most military camps would have medical supplies and food, if they were there for a while."

Rick purrs softly and strokes Glenn's neck again, "I didn't even think about the stuff we might have left behind. Thank you, Glenn, for remembering them. I will talk to the Pack and see if everyone is willing to go back. But if we do, we will need gas; why don't you go over to Dale and help him out."

Glenn preens at his Alpha's approval and set out to find the Elder. Rick turns back to his own Packmate and Daryl to see what they thought. T - Dog was smiling and preening himself, a low purr of comfort rumbling softly in his chest. Daryl was pacing slightly, an arrow held tight in his fist, but his own approval was easy to see if you looked closely. The Omega places the crossbow on his back and grunts. "Well… what are we doing?"

"What do you suggest we do? Go back for the supplies or keep going forward with Shane's idea of Fort Benning?" The Alpha asks.

The Beta picks up a bag of stuff he found in the cars and shoulders it. "Whatever we are doing is going to have to be closer. We been siphoning gas and clearing out cars of anything useful for hours but haven't found any food, not to mention that it's gonna be dark soon. We need a place to sleep, and something to eat. Once we do that, we can decide what to do as a Flock."

They make their way back to the group and everyone gets ready to leave. Most of the caravan had already left when the Walkers come. A herd, around a hundred of them, come out of the woodwork and surround the cars the Packs scavenged from. Shane bares his teeth and tries to start his jeep. When the car just stutters he swears loudly and grabs his things, jumping on a car close by as the Walkers swarms it. He starts yelling and screaming, praying Rick and the group will notice. One of the Walkers grabs his pants leg and pulls, another starts climbing the car. The Alpha snarls at the dead bodies and swings his gun at the things head as it yanks on his pants leg again. The other one made the climb and goes for the Alpha, knocking him down. Shane places one of his arms on the thing's neck, keeping it from biting him, while his other fights it's hands off, when it goes to claw his chest. The Alpha whimpers when the other Walkers get in a frenzy at the downed meal before them and start to try to claim a bit of him as their own. Shane starts to pray harder, begging anyone to help him. An arrow appears in the Walker's head causing the corpse to go limp. Shane looks up in surprise as Daryl's truck circles the car, shooting one-handed at the Walkers. Once he has their attention he drives away, a path cleared for the Alpha to climb into the RV, Glenn waving him in. Shane jumps in and the group drives away.

…

It was days before they made it back to the CDC, having stopped at the nursing home that held Glenn for a place to stay, only to find the whole place wiped out. Pulling up to the CDC once again, the Packs stay in the cars, waiting to see if there were any Walkers around. Noticing only a few crawling on the ground the group get out, except for the pups, Carol and Lori, and Andrea. There are more Walkers on the ground then the group remembers and where the building once stood was just a pile of rubble.

"Where should we start?" Shane scowls at Rick.

"Glenn, take one of the cars and T-Dog and check the area; let us know if a herd comes through. Dale, can you go tell Lori or Carol to keep an ear out for the radio. Tell them to contact us with any information." Rick starts directing everyone to positions. T-Dog and Glenn get into a jeep and take off, circling what's left of the building. "Shane you're with me, try to find anything useful. Daryl-"

"I'll check the vehicles, see if they got gas, or if we can take one of them instead." The Omega takes off towards a burnt tank, crossbow in hand, ready for any surprises.

"Alright, let go." Rick leads towards the Walker massacre, checking each head for a killing hit, and missing the glare and snarl that Shane shot in the Beta's direction as he followed the Alpha. Glenn and T-Dog join the hunt for goods once they came back. Daryl was checking the last car, a Praga V3S, when he noticed something strange. A tent set up farther from the CDC than the rest. Grabbing his bow, he makes his way over to it, checking for Walkers on the ground and around every car. He taps on the metal poles when he reaches the tent and waits for any Walkers that might be inside. One comes out snarling, bloody skin hanging from its jaws. The Omega shoots the fucker and grabs his arrow before ducking inside. One of the tents walls were ripped open, allowing the sunlight to illuminate the maps and boxes of rations that were packed inside. Some of the boxes held medication as well, Suppressants taking a full box to themselves, both Omega and Alpha. Daryl checks the other boxes; rations, medical supplies, maps, more boxes of papers, Suppressants, etc. The Omega found boxes outside that were full of guns and ammo too. Did they just pack the whole camp in here?

The Omega starts to turn away, ready to get his Alp- Rick. He was going to go get Rick. He wasn't Daryl's Alpha; Daryl wasn't part of the guys Pack. He could grab these supplies, load up the Praga and be out of here before any of those assholes could stop him. Why? Why couldn't he? Why did he feel guilty just thinking about it?

"Baby brotha', you's was born of-a different cloth. You's not a Dixon, you's like Mama. And I'ma be fereva grateful you's is. You's better; you'll get out and make somethin' of yourself. Don't cha evera forget it k, baby brotha?" Merle had told him one night, after Pops had passed out drunk on the couch and Merle was as high as a kite. "I'ma grateful you's an Omega like Mama, makes you's better than us all. It's why you's so sweet, Darylina, cause you's like Mama."

And like Mama, Daryl could never turn his back on those in need. He turns around and goes find Rick and the Packs, the phantom smell of Mama's cigarettes tugging a smile to his lips.

…

Daryl finds Glenn and T-Dog before he found the Alphas and have them help him instead. They load up in Daryl's truck and T-Dog's jeep and drive over to the tent. Almost done packing everything away, Daryl leaves the packmates to load the cars while he makes his way back to the huge ass truck that would make everything so much easier if he could get it running. Getting in the driver side, he reaches under the wheel to see it he could hot-wire it. It takes a few tries but eventually the engine starts up. Daryl swallows his smile, wanting to double check the car was safe before he got the Packs. He reaches over to check the glove box when the engine hiccups before running good again.

Merle had shown Daryl how to fix cars and bikes his whole life, a way to keep Daryl from being like everyone else in their lives. Daryl had worked in a friend of Merle's auto shop one summer, so Daryl could get his own bike. Daryl knew what that hiccup meant; the car had been tampered with. Something was in the engine that wasn't supposed to be there. Getting out of the car was a bit of a challenge when you're lunging for the passenger's door from the floor-board. Daryl gets out just as a spark lights the invisible wire thread through the doors. Daryl watches as the small flames on the wires split, each eating their way to the other cars and tanks, quick. Daryl runs.

'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! It's a trap!' Daryl makes it back to Glenn and T - Dog and tell them to get their asses out of there, the camp was booby-trapped. He immediately sprints to the Alphas, who were checking out more corpses for weapons, the sound of the truck and jeep burning rubber letting him know the Packmates were heeding his warning.

"RICK-" BOOM! Daryl goes flying as the Praga explodes in a fireball. The Omega was on his feet and running again before the shock wave had finished shaking the ground. "RICK!"

The Prime and Shane met him halfway, "Daryl what the hell wa-"

"The vehicles are fixed; we got to leave, and we got to do it now before-"

BOOM! BOOM! Two more cars blew up right next to each other, thankfully away from the group.

"SHIT!" Daryl shoulders his crossbow, "Get the pups and women to the RV! I'ma find Dale and anyone else that might be to close! Glenn and T are already there, I got to them first! Go, before the Walkers show up to see what's makin' the noise!"

Daryl takes off to find Dale, Shane and Rick going in the opposite direction, towards the RV. The Omega finds the Elder with Andrea going through another tent that was packed with supplies. Daryl curses thinking about the fact that they would have to leave the stuff there but...

"Hey!" The Omega takes a box from Dale's hands and drops it on the ground. "Come on, we got to go! Now, right now!"

"I don't know what the hell you're goin' on about Dixon, but this is stuff that our Packs need-"

"Andrea that's not-"

"I don't know who you think you are-" BOOM! BOOM! Two more cars explode, one right next to the tent.

"Did cha bleachin' your hair every weekend mess up your hearin' as well as kill damn near all ya brain cells? The cars have been exploding for a few minutes now. We gotta get out of here before they bring a herd down on us!"

"Daryl, I think it might be too late for that." Walkers were coming out of the surrounding areas in herds of ten to twenty. Five were already close enough to surround the Omega and others were piling up.

"Shit!" Daryl tosses the crossbow off and grabs his knife, stabbing the closes one while Dale keeps Andrea from screaming. Glenn comes racing up with Daryl's truck, knocking the remaining Walkers down. The Alpha throws the door open, sounding close to sobbing as he yells for them to get in. Daryl grabs Andrea and Dale and pushes them to get in. Once the truck was locked back up Daryl hops into the back, just as the second wave of Walkers surrounds them. The Omega can hear the cries from the group inside and opens the small window. "Glenn! Calm down, you're the Alpha right now, ya gotta stay calm."

Glenn nods but still whines out soft sob. Daryl reaches through the window and grabs Glenn by the neck.

"Don't hurt him Dixon, he can't help it!" Andrea smacks the Beta a few times on the arm and face before Dale holds her arms to her sides. She couldn't stand Betas that took out all their frustration on Omegas and Suppressed Alphas. This was why she was a New-School attorney before the world went to shit, so trash like Dixon couldn't hurt people like Amy or her father anymore. The Beta women was about to scream at the Elder Alpha for letting Dixon hurt Glenn, when she realizes that the younger Alpha wasn't whining anymore. She watches as Dixon moved his hands from Glenn's neck, his palm slick with liquid.

Pulling his hand out of the window, Daryl licks his other hand and reaches back in, placing his Scented hand on Glenn's other Scent-gland and squeezing, releasing the tension there and allowing Glenn's scent to mingle with Daryl's, binding them as Packmates.

"You're good now man. Your Pack's right here, we got cha. You're the Alpha right now until we get back to Rick though, so ya gotta tell us what we gotta do to get back to the Flock." Daryl grabs his bandana and rubs his gland's liquid on it before tying it around Glenn's neck, cowboy style. His scent would keep Glenn's mind clear until they could get back to Rick and T-Dog; his scent would only be temporary unless Rick claimed him for his Pack, but for now it would do the job.

"We need a distraction, something to pull their attention away from us and towards another source."

"Alright good." Daryl rubs the back of Glenn's neck as he says this, causing the Alpha to purr, "We can't send them to the others though, so we have to send them back the way they came right?"

"Yeah." Glenn glances at the Beta and Elder that were watching them in shock. "But the only way we would do that is if we could get them to find something more interesting than us."

"I got it." Daryl leans back and looks at Dale, "Keep them calm." The Omega closes the small window and moves to turn on Merle's bike. Glenn turns around as soon as the engine rumbles and shakes the whole truck, "DARYL?!"

The Omega opens the window again. "Get them to Rick! I'll circle round and drive them towards the city; buy ya'll some time. Go!" Dropping the tailgate, Daryl backs the motorcycle off the truck, gunning it backwards to keep away from the grabbing hands. Revving the engine to gain attention, the hunter circles the truck before driving slow towards the city, the herd following and growing. He speeds up every time one gets too close, but he teases them with a meal to keep their interest.

Once they were clear, Glenn takes off towards the others. The group was already packed into their cars and the RV and Glenn honks to let them know to head out. The Flock drives until the hit the highway leading out of the city and start making their way to Fort Benning. They stop at the road that led back to the quarry to regroup and find out what happened. The group piles out of the cars and circle around the Alphas.

"Rick!" Lori jumps out of Shane's jeep, "What the hell happened? The cars exploded?!"

"Everyone calm down." Rick holds his arms out waiting for everyone to stop talking over each other. "Daryl's the one that noticed and warned us. Let's let him tell us what happened. Daryl… Daryl? Where's Daryl?"

Glenn steps up to his Prime nervously and whines. When he has his attention, along with the Flock's, he points to the city in the distance, "He caused a distraction… so we could get away. He said he would meet up with us later."

"He's still in the city?"

"I'm sorry Alpha." Glenn ducks his head, causing the bandana to rub against his glands. Rick notices the movement and the scent coming off it. Daryl had acknowledged Glenn as a Packmate; and by default, Rick as his Prime. That sent Rick in another kind of worry. Where was Daryl?

"Alright let's regroup." Shane steps in, casting a glance at Rick, "We do a head count and see where we are on supplies." The Alpha starts counting how many people were there, asking if anyone was still in the RV.

"Just Carol and the pups." Lori says, hands on her hips. Shane asks his Mate to call them out, so he could make sure they were ok. The Beta women opens the door and calls inside, not even going in to check on them. Rick rumbles softly as the Omega woman and her daughter come out, standing by Dale.

"Where is Carl? Lori, where's our son?"

"He was in the bathroom, why are you attacking me? Carl is old enough to not need me to walk him to the potty Rick." Lori turns the situation on her husband, not understanding what the problem was. It wasn't her fault that their son had a small blatter. Why hadn't Carol brought her son out when she came out. If the Omega had done her job of watching the boy, Rick wouldn't be yelling at her. Lori turns to the skittish Omega and asks her if she would go get Carl out of the bathroom in the RV.

"He's not in there. That's where me and Sophia were hiding. I thought he was in the jeep with you and Shane." The Omega whispers, pulling her daughter close when she starts to whine in fear for the boy.

"What?!" Rick, Shane and Lori yell.

"Check all the cars, everywhere! Find the pup." Dale directs the Flock as Rick takes off towards the RV. Everyone splits up and searches for Carl, calling out to the boy quietly.

…...

Daryl had led the Walker herd far enough away that the group would be safe. Circling around he made his way back to the CDC, stopping at the building to grab as much as he could in the little bit of time he had stuffing it into his bag and saddle bag on the bike; going for food and medicine above anything else. He was about to jump back on Merle's motorcycle when he noticed his crossbow on the ground. Cursing, the Omega runs over to it just as more Walkers break through the tree line. He grabs the crossbow and looks up, noticing the Walkers were targeting a car instead of him. The scent of a pup in distress was thick; had Sophia or Carl got left behind? Was it someone else?

The Omega rushes forward, thankful that there was only four Walkers banging on the glass. He's quick to drop the gear he had on the ground, using his knife to get the dead bastards away from the car. Once they were dead, Daryl makes his way over to the car, considering the window to see who he saved.

"SHIT! Carl? Carl?!" The Omega bangs on the glass, trying to get the pup's attention. This close, Daryl can hear the boy's sobs and it hurts… the Omega in him hurts at the sound of a pup (one he knew at least) in such distress. Backing up a bit, he rams his elbow into the window, shattering the glass. Carl's sobs turn into screams and Daryl yanks the door open, pulling the young boy out of the car by his feet.

"Please, please! I'm sorry please don't eat me! MAMA! DADDY! PLEASE I'M SORRY!" The pup was going to run out of breath, dry-heaving, with the amount of crying and screaming he was doing. Worst, he was calling attention to the two of them. Daryl sinks his blade into another Walker when it gets too close, then drops to his knees in front of the boy. Pulling his hands away from his face, the Omega yells to be heard over the pup's sobs. "CARL!"

The boy calms down at the sound, realizing it wasn't a Walker that had him. Opening his eyes, Carl throws his arms around Daryl's neck, "Daryl, help me please. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I don't want to be alone, please. I don't want to die."

"Why aren't you with the Packs? Where are they?" Daryl picks the pup up, wrapping his legs around the Omegas waist, his arms around his neck. He starts making his way to the supplies and the bike.

"I had to go to the bathroom, but Sophia was in the one in the RV. I told mom I was going to go pee in the woods and would be right back, like we used to do at cub scouts when we were camping. I heard some loud noises and screaming so I went back to the cars, but they were gone. Why did my parents leave me? Did they leave you behind too or did you come back to find me?" Daryl put the pup down next to his crossbow and backpack. Putting the bag on Carl's shoulders, he steadies the pup when the weight throws him off balance. Daryl notices the wet stains on Carl's pants; the pup had probably turned around as soon as he heard the noise without doing what he set out to do. More than likely the pup had wet himself in fear when he noticed the group was gone.

"Easy there. You carry that and hold on tight. You ever been on a motorcycle before?" Daryl picks up the pup again and sprints to the bike.

"No."

"Well you're about to." Climbing on, Daryl puts Carl on in front of him, facing his chest. If things went south, Carl didn't need to see it.

"Mama said I wasn't allowed near them."

"Well it's this or we run, and I don't know about you but I think this is going to get us out of here faster than they can catch us." Daryl starts up the bike and they take off fast. One Walker was fast enough to grab at them though, and its arm got caught on the bike, so it came along for the ride. Carl screams when it pulls itself up enough to grab onto Daryl's arm. The Omega tries to shake the fucker off, but with the screaming pup and needing both hands to steer the bike, Daryl resigns himself to his fate and prays that he can just find Rick and the Packs before it's too late, refusing to let Carl be alone in this again. Suddenly the Walker falls limp, no longer grasping at the hunter's arm. Daryl chances a look down; Carl's arm was covered in blood, splatters reaching his chin and cheek only to be washed away with his tears and snot. The Walker hung limp from the bike, Daryl's hunting knife was planted deep in its skull. Carl had saved him, had taken his knife and stabbed the Walker before it bit Daryl. If the grip the pup had on him was anything to go by, that was the first Walker the boy had ever killed, in the four months since the dead had risen, that was his first kill. Just over the roaring of the bike's engine, Daryl could hear Carl… chirping. Oh shit. Pups only chirp when they're little or can't express an emotion. Some regular animals did it too; for example, cheetah pups would chirp for their parents to find them when they got lost, or when they were playing, even when they were eating. They did it in extreme bouts of joy, sadness, nervousness... and fear. Carl was terrified, calling out to his parents to save him, find him, with his most basic instincts and Daryl had to find some way to calm the poor boy down.

Daryl pulled over on the side of the road, next to a minivan. He shut off the bike and picked Carl up, standing him on the ground while the hunter kneeled before him. Carl watches him with red eyes, still chirping. Daryl pats down the boy's arms and legs checking for any flinches the other might make. His clothes could be hiding bites, scratches, or bruises. After a minute, Daryl pulls off Merle's vest, the white, fading wings on the back clash with the faux leather and jean material that it was made of. Daryl holds it up to the chirping pup.

"Alright, see this? This my brotha's. Imma let you wear it 'ight, cause my scent will help ya not be scared. But first I need ya to shut up, and we gonna find you some new clothes. You's gonna have'ta check your bottom cause I ain't some pervert. But you let me know if ya got scratches or anything cause that shit is life or death now, ok?" Carl nods and Daryl stands up, massaging his scent into the others neck as he guides him to the car. They find some clothes that are too big for him but with a homemade belt of braided rope they will do until they find something better. Carl checks himself over from the waist down only freaking out once when he finds some red markings on the back of his thighs and calves. The Omega checks and waves it off as nothing more than friction burns and a rash from the state of his clothing. Putting the vest over the boy's shoulders, Daryl makes the pup look at him, serious.

"Now I want you to look at me. Have you ever tried to rip your jeans or leather before? You ever done it? Before you put your arm through I want you to bite down on the sleeve. Hard as you can, like you mean it. Can you bite through that? No? Walkers ain't gonna be able to do that either. Them wings there, my brother use'ta tell me them some angel wings. They gonna protect ya from anything trying'ta hurt you, alright? You's got them wings, you got me, ya mama and ya dad. That whole group, they gonna protect ya. Come on, let's get this on ya and get back ta camp 'fore they send out the search parties or we get another herd on us. Grab what'cha can from the car and put it in the bags. Imma get some more gas." Carl grabs Daryl around the neck and rubs his Scent glands against the hunter's. The Omega in him was pleased that the pup smelled right, like comfort and safe, not distressed anymore.

"Thank you, Daryl."

"Come on before it gets dark."

…..

"Where the hell is he Lori?"

"Why the hell are you yelling at me? There are seven other adults here, including yourself and I'm the only one getting yelled at?"

"Because you were the one that said he was in the bathroom! Glenn, Andrea and Dale weren't even around the cars when everyone was getting piled in, so you can't blame them! He's OUR responsibility, not theirs."

"Then where the hell were you?!"

"Making sure no one was dead and trying to hold off the Walkers, shooting any that got to close, so the group could get out of there in one piece!"

"Well you did a great job! Daryl's gone and Carl's missing."

"Damn it Lori he's OUR responsibility, not just mine! What the hell were you doing?!"

"Rick… why is it always my fault, why do you always blame me for everything?" Lori starts tearing up, holding her sides like she was trying to comfort herself because her husband was being hateful towards her. If Carol, the group's OMEGA, had done her job and taken care of the children as Omegas were supposed to, then the Beta woman wouldn't be the victim of her husband's tantrum.

"Enough Rick, leave her alone." Shane gets in between the two, "She's tired, all of us are, we can't attack her because of a little miscommunication. We'll find Carl, and everything will be fine, ok brother?"

"You're right Shane. Lori, I'm sorry for taking my frustration out on you. We'll find our pup, it's not your fault." Rick apologizes with a sigh. Lori curls her lip and storms back to the RV. Of course, (OF COURSE) Rick apologized. Why, (WHY) can't he for once fight with her? Why did he always back down?! Some Alpha her husband was. She hopes Carl ends up a Beta; not some disappointing Omega, or a weak Alpha like his father. Well, unless he took after Shane as an Alpha. Still, she hopes he will be normal, like her. Before she can slam the RV door open, a motorcycle comes echoing around the bend. Great, the Dixon had come back.

…

Daryl syphon the gas from the van, while Carl fills the bags. After filling the tank, the archer removes the Walker from where it was caught. Carl watches him from where he sat on the trunk of the van, Daryl's knife in his hands.

"Hey Daryl, you never answered me. How did you know that I was in the car?" The hunter looks at the boy and sighs.

"I don't sugar coat shit. Lettin ya know now." Carl nods and Daryl continues, "I didn't; if I hadn't seen my bow I'dda probably drove right past ya."

"Oh." The pup whispers, looking down.

"See, 'fore I even give it to ya, them wings look out for ya." Daryl and Carl share a smile and they get on the bike.

"Thank you, Daryl, for being a part of our Packs."

Carl faces the front this time, and Daryl plops a helmet on him as an afterthought. "If we gonna be breaking ya Mama's rule about the bike, better give her one less thing to scream at me about." Carl's laugh follows them all the way to camp.

When they pull up, Glenn is the first to notice the pup with Daryl. "Rick! Lori! It's Daryl, I think he's got Carl too!"

Rick meets them as the bike comes to a stop, Carl already trying to get off. Daryl balances the bike with his thighs and lifts the boy over, turning the bike off as Carl yanks the helmet off, throwing it to the ground.

"Dad! DAD!" Rick swings his pup into his arms, both whining. Daryl's scent was really, really, strong and it took a second to realize the jacket the boy was wearing was the Omega's.

"Carl! Baby!" Lori shoves her way into the hug, taking her son from Rick. The Prime moves to the Omega and claps him on the shoulder in thanks. Daryl leans in and tells the Alpha what Carl had told him and about the boy's accident, to keep one parent in the loop to watch out for rash cream if possible.

"Boy said he went to the bathroom in the woods cause the other pup was in there, came back when the cars exploded, and found the cars gone. Hid himself in one of the surroundin' ones. If there hadn't been a couple of Walkers sniff around it, I'dda drove by without even knowing." Rick's grip on his shoulder tightened, giving a sobbing whine of fear at the knowledge that his pup had almost been completely alone.

"I got him, he's here now; but that worried me Rick. You and I both know how long it took the group to come together before they left, and if Carl was in the woods before them cars started explodin'… if something happened we wouldn't have even known 'til now, 'til it was too late. He got separated from the group for a while, and that means no one went looking for him neither. It was bad enough Before, but with the world as it is now… next time we might not be so lucky. Them pups need to be near someone at all times or we gonna lose 'em. And we both know ain't neither of their mama's gonna be the one ta put 'em down." Daryl and Rick turn around, seeing Carl being herded to the Flock by his mother, her hands never leaving his shoulders. His leather free shoulders. Daryl picks up the helmet and jacket from where Carl had tossed one in excitement, and where Lori had torn the other off her child in rage and disgust. She moves him to the jeep for clothes that were his, then to the RV to change. Once the pup was inside, she makes her way to Carol and Shane, the Omega close to tears.

Snarling, the archer tries to make his way over to them, but Rick places a hand on his chest. "She's not one of ours; my Pack or unattached. If we go over there and start shit with Shane's Pack, the man might start taking shit out on mine, and Glenn's submissive enough with me. He starts getting two Alphas breathing down his neck and he's gonna regress more. As much as I want to say something, we can't. Not now, not yet."

"So, we just gonna let her live like that?"

"She was born Traditional, and she chose Traditional. We can't help her until she comes to us. I've extended the same offer to the both of you, and her girl. It's up to her." Rick sighs, his hands in his pockets. "I want to extend my offer again, to mark you as Pack. After what you did for Glenn and my pup… anything you want…"

"Maybe; I'll think about it some more. Carl started chirping when I had a close call gettin us out (yer boy saved my ass with my knife by the way, didn't even know the kid had grabbed it 'til it was in the Walker's skull), but uh… is that normal for someone his age?"

"Sometimes, if they're in enough stress. Thank you for telling me, I'll keep an eye on him. And I'm sorry about the jacket."

"Don't be. It's been through worse. Tell yer pup he's always welcome to use it. Told him the wings would protect him to get him to stop cryin'. Kids gotta have something to believe in, ya know?"

"Thank you, I will."

…..

The group cut down to only three vehicles after the failed attempt to get stuff from the CDC. All the food, clothes, and medicine they managed to get from that haul were in the jeep with Rick, Lori, Carol and the pups. They were following the RV, that Dale was driving with Shane's Pack, and Dale was following Daryl on Merle's motorcycle. They hit the highway and leave Atlanta behind them. They drive for a couple of hours, trading stories, cleaning the guns, anything to keep themselves busy. They drive until they hit a car pile; hundreds of cars left on the road, doors thrown open, from where the people had abandoned them trying to get away from the Walkers. Unable to get through and with the RV broken down again, they scatter and look for anything of value.

Carol finds some nice clothes that she thinks might be her size, her minute smile disappearing when she sees the look Lori gives her. An empty first aid kit that she pulls out of the glove box in hand, Lori places it on the roof of the car, turning around with her hands on her hips.

"Ed would never let me wear clothes this nice." The Omega tries to explain her actions to the Beta woman as she folds the three-dollar Wal-Mart t-shirt and puts it back where she found it; like she was scared to be punished for looking at something her Alpha hadn't said she could. Typical of a Traditionally born Omega to act. Looking at the pups though, "We'll need clothes."

Lori places a pitying hand on her shoulder before moving onto another car.

"Sophia don't wander off to far, always in eyesight, ok?" Carol reminds her daughter.

"You too, Carl. Stay where Carol… or I can see you." Lori adds like it was an afterthought.

A Walker herd had followed the group, causing them to lose Sophia in the woods. Rick goes after her, and two Walkers, while the rest of the Packs stays on the highway, praying for a miracle, all of them trying to drown out the sounds of Carol's sobbing.


	2. Sophia? SOPHIA!

"You sure this is the spot?" Daryl asks as he stands up, water from the creek weighing his feet down as moves towards Rick.

"I left her right here. Walkers followed me that way, up the creek." Rick shakes, as he points in one direction.

"Without a paddle; seems we've landed there too."

"By the time I got back here, she was gone. Figured she had headed back to the group. I told her go that way." Rick points to the sloped bed creek where Glenn was standing guard. "I told her to keep the sun on her left shoulder."

"Hey short round, why don't you step off to one side? You're mucking up the trail." Daryl huffs, adjusting his grip on the crossbow and observing the ground for tracks.

Glenn moves quickly with a few apologies, "Sorry Daryl, didn't mean to be in the way."

"You're good, man."

"Assuming she knows her left from her right." Shane scuffs, his relaxed stance indicating that he found this to be a waste of time.

"Shane, she understood me fine." Rick growls loudly at the other Alpha. Glenn steps forward, ready to defend his Alpha when Shane straightens up, teeth bared at the Prime in open challenge.

"The kid's tired and scared man. How much do you think of what you said stuck, really?" Shane scowls when Daryl turns to the two Alphas, his hand on the crossbow.

"I got clear prints right here. Looks like she understood just fine, she headed back to the highway. Looks like she knew her right from her left just fine too." The four men follow the trail until it split away.

Glenn and Shane head back to the highway, while Rick and Daryl continue to track Sophia. Shane keeps the group busy with chores; raiding cars and moving the ones near the RV so they can turn around later. Daryl leads Rick further into the woods, following a trail only the Omega can see. When they come across a Walker that had fed recently, they gut it, looking for any sign it had been near the Omega pup. Once it starts getting dark, the two men make their way back to the highway. Carol starts sobbing as soon as she sees them without her daughter, blaming Rick for leaving her alone. The Alpha walks away whimpering in the back of his throat, guilt and shame clouding his smell. His Pack and Daryl want to comfort him, and at the same time want to strangle Lori.

As soon as Rick walks away from the group, Lori leave Andrea to comfort the distressed Omega and follow the grieving Alpha. "Rick! We need to talk about Carl and Shane. As well as your little "Pack". You know, the one your WIFE…. and son aren't a part of."

"No. You had the divorce papers already filled out, and that Mark on your shoulder means Shane has claimed you as his Mate. We are done, we raise Carl together but that's it. And our pup is part of my Pack. What do you want to talk about?" Rick glares at the Beta.

"Rick…."

"Glenn, can you go get Shane, Carl and the Pack. We're going to settle something right now."

"No need." Shane comes over with the others, Daryl, Carl and T - Dog stand by Glenn, "What's going on?"

"Lori said we needed to talk about you and our pup. Let's talk." Carl walks over to his dad, standing in front of him, facing Lori and Shane.

"Rick this isn't funny anymore. You're my husband and Carl is our son, not a puppy. And our son isn't listening to me anymore." Lori crosses her arms over her chest, ignoring the growls of surprise from everyone, including Shane. Calling out the pup in front of a group of Alphas and Omegas was shameful, like a piss on their culture. And Carl was old enough to understand just how much his mother, in that one sentence, didn't care about their family.

Rick rumbles loudly and holds out his hand. "There's no ring on my finger anymore! You had the papers ready not long after I slipped into a coma and Shane's Mark is on your shoulder, not mine. But now that you're not getting your way, you want to ignore all that? Fuck you!"

Carl runs towards Daryl, hiding his face in the Omega's stomach. When the man feels his shirt getting damp with tears, he starts purring softly. Glenn and T - Dog pull the two down on the tailgate of a nearby truck, standing in front of them on instinct. Daryl pulls the pup in his lap and wraps the wing jacket around him. Carl pulls it tighter around himself with rumbled thanks.

"I know you don't want to hear this pup but-"

"They need to get it out of their systems." Carl sniffles, "Dad never yelled at mom, not even when she hit him or threw things. He did it once when I was little, because mom didn't know where I was. She went to the store without me and I went to my babysitter's house next door to get something to eat. A few hours later, we could hear dad screaming at mom. Mama told everyone that dad was an Alpha with a temper and they almost lost me to Social Services. Dad never fights with mom anymore and she hates it."

"You wanted me to fight back, fine! I'm fighting back cause you're not going to blame our son just because YOU don't want to watch him!" Rick yells at Lori. Daryl focuses on taking care of Carl, because the pup was right. Rick needs to get this out. "Just because you're a Traditional Beta doesn't mean Carl is going to be one. Stop acting like everyone else is beneath you! It wasn't Carol's job to take care of the pups when we lost Carl at the CDC, and yes I'm calling you out on your bullshit because I was married to you for a long time and I knew that look you gave her when she came out without him."

Rick laid into her about everything he had noticed since the quarry. The rest of the group comes over having heard the commotion. Carol wanders over to Rick's Pack and jumps up next to Daryl and Carl. The pup shifts in between them and leans on the woman, allowing her to seek comfort in caring for a cub. The Omega woman lays her head on Daryl's shoulder, seeking peace in his soft, gritty purrs. They stay quiet as everyone watches the Prime scold the Beta woman, who frequently tried to talk over the Alpha, and was put back in her place with a slightly raise in Rick's voice and hardness in his tone. He yelled at her about Before, the beating he took at her hands to keep his pup, the inability to talk about anything besides the Beta was of life, like their bonding ceremony and Mating. He talked about the way his family withdrew from him because of her, all the friends he lost that were too Alpha or Omega to keep around Carl because she said it wasn't safe. Rick laid all their garbage from Before, for the Packs to see. Then he started in about after his coma; finding the papers, the way she acted when he returned to camp. At this point he was going after Shane too, laying out all his feelings about the betrayal they did, and then blamed him for.

By the time he was done, panting and dehydrated, it was dark and Carl was asleep. Dale suggest that they move closer to the RV, and everyone else could get to sleep if they were done. The group walk back to the cars, silent, Glenn giving Rick some water to help his throat. Daryl carries Carl in and lays him down on the bench with a throw pillow and sheet.

"Thank you, Daryl, for staying with me." The pup whispers.

"How much did ya hear?"

"Everything."

The Omega swallows, "Sleep, we gonna find Sophia in the mornin' and I betcha wanna help, huh? Sleep." Daryl walks out just as Shane and Lori come to a stop by Rick. The Omega looks at the window and see the pup watching them.

Rick sighs heavily and gestures for Lori to talk, "What about Shane and Carl made you want to talk to me? How was Carl not listening?"

"He got into one of the cars that had a corpse in it and found a bunch of knives, hatchets, and stuff. I told him not to play with it and he ignored me to show them to Shane. When Shane said to go give them to Dale, he pulled one out, talking about how sharp it was and how it could be useful. Then he asks me if he could keep one. Rick those things aren't play toys, he could hurt himself and-"

"I think he knows that Lori, but you already said you don't want him to have a gun. He needs a way to protect himself from Walkers and as long as someone was with him, I don't see what the problem was about-"

"He ignored me Rick! That's what the problem was. And he doesn't need to protect himself when you and Shane are here. Well, I mean when you're actually in camp instead of-" Daryl walks back into the RV and goes over to Carl, who had his treasure packaged in his lap.

"This what you found?" Daryl asks.

"Yeah, I wasn't playing with it though."

"I know, let me see it." Daryl rolls it out and picks up the hatchet. "Did they have the rubber stoppers on them before?"

"Not all of them. Mama freaked out when I was calling for Shane but when I told her it was just something I found that was cool, she threw her hands up, angry. I didn't mean to make her worried but-"

The voices from outside got louder, making the pup and Daryl go quiet so they could hear what was going on. "-told me to stay the hell away from him and you? That the two of you and Rick were off limits to me? I have known that man there WAY before his brother introduced you two, and you think you can tell me off; tell me I ain't allowed to even look at my brother? MY PRIME ALPHA?! I'm that boy's GODFATHER for damn sake. Something happens to you and Rick, that boy is my responsibility and you wanted me to not talk to him, look at him, anything! -Rick, man, no offense this is not a claim challenge,- but when you found that man was in the hospital and dead, -because yes I admit that I told you that cause I couldn't hear a heartbeat, I couldn't get a pulse, none of the monitors were working, all the doctors were high trailing it out of there or gettin shot- YOU TOLD ME, that boy was mine now. My responsibility, my say in his raising, I was to treat him like he was my own, but the second Rick walks into camp you're gonna-"

"Sha-SHANE! Calm down, Carl is asleep and we're still not in the clear in case of Walkers- Lori what the hell do you mean Shane's leaving the Flock?!"

"Stay away, that's what she said. So I did, and she started fucking yelling at me for being distant with Carl and giving her the cold shoulder. I can't win with her! Man, no wonder you let her walk all over you, it's better than trying to do what she wants ya to. So yeah I was leaving, cause I'm the fucking problem no matter what!"

Daryl catches Carl before he could run past him. The pup was sobbing, trying to fight Daryl to get outside. With one hand Daryl closes the window and pulls Carl with him onto the bench. The pup didn't need to hear anymore right now. He holds Carl and purrs, allowing his scent to calm him down. "It's my fault. Shane's leaving and it's my fault. If I hadn't pushed so hard for his attention then him and mom wouldn't be fighting, and they wouldn't have drug dad into their mess."

"I don't want to hear that from you." Carol says as she climbs into the RV, "What's happening out there is not your fault."

The voices raise again, and Carl continues to cry. Daryl looks out the window and notices two Walkers almost to the RV. Daryl passes Carl to Carol and makes his way over, throwing the window open and whistling. Muffled cries from the two behind him, plus the scent of distressed pup and Omega was enough to send the hunter into protection overload. Once the Walkers were dead, Daryl took one look at the others and cut the head of one of the Walkers off and stabbed it again, pulling the head back in with him. As soon as Carl starts chirping, Daryl snaps. Slamming the window closed, he tells Carol to stay with him and goes outside. Being careful not to slam the door too, Daryl throws the head at Rick. Shane covers Lori's mouth so her screaming wouldn't draw attention, at the same time though he was breathing heavily, his fear keeping his jaw clenched shut. Rick stumbles back with a curse, ready to lay one in on Daryl, until he saw the Omega's face.

"The next time ya'll wanna have it out with each other," Daryl hisses, "don't fucking do it when, one: we're in the open, so anything can hear you. Two; you're arguing so loud ya can't hear the Walkers on the other side of the R.V. Three; you're next to people trying to sleep. And four; you're next to an open window so your pup has heard every fucking word out of your mouths and thinks it's his fault y'all're fighting! And you're doing it so loud ya can't even hear him chirping for ya."

Daryl's voice never raises above a murmur, but each word cut into them with intent. The second the archer stops talking, Carl's chirping deafens them. Rick whines. 'How could he have not heard him?'

"If ya'll're done comparing knots like fledglings," the Alphas flinch, even Glenn who just happened to come up to them with T-Dog after changing the bandages on his arm, from when he cut it on a car door hiding from Walkers, "Rick and his Pack need to get in there and have a bit of bonding time. The two of you can do it later once he's done being scented."

Lori gets up in Daryl's face, "I'm his mother and I will go in there if I feel like it. I'm not going to let some Beta, redneck trailer trash, tell me what I can and can't do with my CHILD!" She tries to push past him to get in, but Carl's voice stops her in her tracks. The pup was standing in the doorway of the RV with Carol.

"I want dad." He sniffles, "I want dad and his Pack, and Daryl." Carl chirps again and Rick has him in his arms, scenting him, in seconds. Rick and his Pack pile into the RV and Shane goes to do a perimeter check while Lori leaves in tears to go sit with Andrea in the jeep. Daryl doesn't move until Carl chirps again; people will never change it seems.

…

It was a deer, a fucking deer! Carl was shot over a fucking deer!

The Flock had gone to search for Sophia at first light. Dale and T - Dog stayed behind in case she showed up back on the highway, and everyone else had gone looking. They use the kit Carl found since silent weapons would be better than loud guns that could pull a herd down on them. Daryl makes sure Lori gets the hatchet she scolded Carl for, with a little smirk. As they head out Daryl turns to the pup, holding one of the knives from the kit.

"This was a good find kid, they were well taken care of." Carl preens under Daryl's praise, "Next time though, have someone with you when yer gettin 'em. You got lucky the guy was only dead and not a Walker. Keep an eye out for anything else, k?"

"Yes sir!" Carl smiles and runs up to Glenn, asking how to clean them. The Omega could hear Rick's approving purrs and feel Lori's glare on his back.

Carl stayed close to Rick and Lori, but only seemed to want to talk to Daryl and Glenn, or comfort Carol with all the things they we going to do when Sophia got back or talk about the project he had done for class on the Grand Canyon.

Lori scuffs every time he talked to someone else but when she herded him back to her, he wouldn't say anything. They found an old camp where someone had opted out and got a new gun from it. They found a church with a timed bell and three Walkers. Daryl led the group back to the highway with some reluctance, while Shane, Rick and Carl search for another hour. Rick tries to give Lori a gun, so the group had one and she was the only one who knew how to shoot even though she didn't like to. Daryl ends up giving her the one he found when she refuses to take Rick's, nodding at his Alpha -cause if he had to have one, Rick was the better option- and they split up, Andrea scowling and throwing dirty looks at everyone about not being able to have her gun on her, even though she didn't know how to shoot.

…..

When Carl goes down Rick screams and falls to his knees, putting pressure on the wound. Shane goes into protection mode, standing over them, gun drawn, waiting for the son of a bitch to show himself. An older, heavyset male Beta comes out of the woods, panting, a rifle in hand. He freezes when he sees the two Alphas with a downed pup and puts two and two together when he sees the deer in between them.

"Oh God, did I kill him? I'm so sorry I-"

"How many? How many of you are there?!"

"Just me, it's just me." Rick growls loudly at the two; at the man for shooting his pup and at Shane for almost killing the man who might be able to help. "I know someone who can help! My Alpha, he has a degree in-"

"Take us there NOW!"

"What's your name?!" Rick's eyes were almost black with rage, the only thing keeping him from going into Rut was the bleeding boy in his arms.

Shane places himself between the two, knowing that if it came to it, he would have to take Carl to get help while Rick murdered the man in cold blood. "Tell 'em yer name."

"Otis."

"You better pry he makes it, because I won't be able to defend you from my Alpha if something happens to him." They run. They sprint through the woods and open fields, Rick carrying Carl and checking his breathing every step. When Otis starts slowing down, Shane attacks him, "HEY keep moving shit head! Come on! You move!"

"How far?! HOW FAR?!" Rick roars.

"Another half mile, that way. HERSHEL! Ask for Hershel!" Rick takes off, leaving Shane to deal with the Beta. He panics, readjusting his grip, feeling his son's blood soak into his clothes. He hears someone call for their dad. Carl? No, still unconscious. A woman. Rick rumbles softly as a Pack comes out of the house, the Alpha was an older man like Dale, but not the Elder.

"Was he bit?" The man calls out. Rick runs to the porch steps.

"Shot. By yer man Otis-"

"Otis?!"

"-please help him. Help my pup please!"

"Bring him in, I need my full kit!" The group goes into a flurry of movement, but Rick doesn't notice anything, continuing to plead for help. He lays Carl on the bed when told and asks if he's alive. Hershel's response was asking for a pillowcase. Rick gets pushed to the side, waiting as they set up an IV. When the older Alpha asks for his name, he stutters, "R-r-rick-Rick. I'm Rick."

"Rick we are going to do everything we can, but you need to give us some room. Now." Rick walks out of the room and steps out onto the porch just as Shane and Otis reach it. Rick starts sobbing and whining loudly, needing his brother to comfort him.

"He alive? He still alive?" Otis pants. Rick wipes the sweat his forehead, and it gets worse, wetter. Carl's blood.

Shane pulls Rick into his Scent glands, and the man breaks down. Shane wipes the blood from his face and hands him the bandana to wipe away the blood. They follow Rick back inside and into the room Carl was in.

"Ya know his blood type?"

"A-Positive. Same as mine."

"I'm going to need you then." Hershel turns to Otis. "What happened?"

While Otis explains, Rick turns to Shane. "The others don't know. Lori-his

mother doesn't know."

If was a few hours later, while Shane and Rick were talking that Carl wakes up needing blood. The oldest daughter, an Alpha named Maggie, sends them back in. Carl was screaming and crying while Hershel tries to get the bullet fragments out of his wound. Rick's eyes never leave the boy as he sits down and gets ready to give blood. Hershel has Shane hold the pup down as he calls for his father. The longer it goes on the more agitated Rick gets, until he snaps, growling loudly at the threat to his pup, eyes black.

"Rick! If I stop, he dies! Do you want him to live?!" Hershel snarls. Rick lets Patricia, Otis's Beta wife, hook him up to an IV. When Carl stops crying, Hershel calms both Alphas by saying that the pup had just passed out from pain but would be fine. They patch him up after the first piece is dug out, and then send Shane and Otis to the high school that a FEMA camp was set up at. Maggie goes to get Lori and the others.

….

Daryl was leading the group back to the highway, everyone was on edge after the gunshot they heard. Andrea had wondered a little way away from the others when she was attacked by a Walker. The others rush to her, but Maggie was faster.

She hits the Walker with a bat and sends it flying. She turns around and addresses the woman on the ground. "Lori Grimes?"

"What the hell?" Daryl stops next to the woman on the horse. Lori answers her.

"Rick sent me, you've got to come with me. Now. Carl was shot, but he's still alive. You need to come now, I will explain on the way." Lori shoves the backpack off and gets on the horse. Daryl grabs the hat off Glenn's head and the rag out of his pocket, he hands it to the woman.

"If Carl's been shot then Rick's going to need these. The smell of his Pack will keep him calm enough to deal with once the shock wears off. Glenn's hat, T - Dog's do rag." The Alpha, because she was definitely an Alpha, smiles and thanks Daryl before turning to Glenn and giving him instructions on how to get to the farm, before taking off. Daryl shoots the Walker and the group moves on.

They meet back up with Dale and T - Dog and told them about the run in with the Alpha on a horse and Carl being shot. They decide to leave to go to the farm and leave some supplies incase Sophia returns. Daryl decides to stay the night on the road, give Sophia a chance to show.

"Glenn you have to go, reconnect with our people." Dale waves away any complaints from the Alpha, "We need to get T - Dog there. The cut is getting worse, he has a serious blood infection and if we don't get him help, he will die."

"Why'd ya'll not say anything." Daryl huffs, throwing a rag at Dale, "Keep your oily rags off my brother's bike. Besides I got Merle's stash."

He puts a bag of pills on the truck hood and starts digging around. Shane's Pack gathers in amazement and disbelief. Why would Daryl keep this medicine a secret? Then he starts naming stuff off, "Crystal, X. Don't need that."

Drugs, it was drugs. Andrea huffs, of course Daryl had his brother's drugs. The Omega tosses a bottle to Glenn. "Got some kickass painkillers."

He pulls out another bottle and hands it to Dale. "Oxycline. That first class, not that generic shit. Merle got the clap on occasion." Daryl shrugs and takes the bag back to the bike.

"What so you're just going to hide your drugs to get high later unless we have another emergency?" Andrea growls at the Beta, "Why was it that none of us knew about any of this, huh?"

The Beta woman tries to grab the bag from Daryl's hand, but he snarls thrusting the bag behind him. Glenn takes it from him and backs away, towards the bike. When Andrea tries to follow, the Omega cuts her off, teeth bared.

"What is your problem?!"

"The people whose two scene I give a shit about knew; Rick's Pack and Merle. The rest of you can't be trusted, but T - Dog needs them and you were just in the right place at the right time. Fuck you, blondie." Daryl growls.

"Daryl, why can't we be trusted?" Carol asks.

"Cause he's-"

"Shane." Daryl speaks over the Beta woman, "You're part on Shane's Pack, and he's a Traditional Alpha." Daryl walks to Glenn and locks the pills in the seat of the motorcycle.

"I catch anyone but Glenn and T - Dog in here and there will be hell to pay."

…..

Carl was still asleep, and no one had gotten back yet, so Rick went to sit on the porch and wait. Hershel follows him out to talk.

"This place is beautiful." Rick looks out at the fields, watching the sun set.

"It's been in my family for some 160 years, passed down to each Alpha heir." The old Alpha replies. Rick nods; a Traditional Pack then. An old one too.

"It looks like it got by untouched. You're lucky."

"We lost friends, neighbors. It took my wife and stepson." The man's shoulder showed a faded Mark, but he had said wife. The situation was either like his and Lori's or the second wife was a Beta. Still, Rick apologies for his loss. "God spared my daughters and I'm grateful for that. This Pack here, we're all we got left, just hanging on until there's a cure. This- this will pass as all plagues do. It's just nature's way of correcting itself, restoring balance."

"I wish I had the same strength in belief that you do." They watch together as Maggie comes up with Lori. The Beta woman jumps down, crying and hands shaking when she goes to put her hand over the bloody shirt Rick was wearing. The Alpha leads he into the room where their son laid, Lori pushing passed him to cradle her son's head in her hands.

"Mama's here baby." She sniffles, "Mama's here." She curls up next to him and prays he wakes up. Maggie walks in quietly, handing Rick the Pack things and leaving again. Lori grabs his hand, wanting comfort, and only that. So, Rick gives in, holding her hand and smelling his Pack to ground him. Glenn from his hat, T - Dog from his bandana…. and Daryl, from a chain with a rabbit's foot. His Pack was with him, they prayed for their pup with him.


	3. I Renounce

Daryl couldn't sleep; between Carol's sobbing in her sleep and Andrea fidgeting with her gun, trying to put it back together the noise was terrible. He gets up off the RV floor where he slept and grabs his crossbow and a flashlight.

"I need my gun and my clip now." He tells Andrea; she hands it to him. "I'm gonna walk the road, shine a light in the woods so if Sophia is out there, she's got something to focus on."

With a nod to Carol who just wipes away her tears, the Beta woman follows him out, not wanting to be stuck on Carol duty again. She also has a few things that she wants to talk to Daryl about. They inform Dale as he was the one on watch and take off, making sure they don't wander to far away. They walk in silence for a while, but Andrea couldn't stand it anymore.

"Do you really think that we're going to find Sophia? The pup has been missing for two days now." Daryl shines the light in the Beta's face, giving her a stupid look.

"Of course, we're going to find that little girl. What the hell's wrong with you people, we just started looking."

"Well do you or not?"

"It ain't the Mountains of Tibet. It's Georgia. She's probably hiding in some farm house or somethin'."

"She's only 12, Daryl. You can't expect her to be able to protect herself or anything. She's away from the group and probably scared."

"I was younger than her and I got lost." Daryl kicks the dirt with his heel and spits, Andrea scowls in disgust at it but stays close. Dixon didn't open up lightly and if Andrea knew something about the ruff Beta that no one else knew- Daryl continued, "Spent a little over a week lost in the woods, eating berries, wiping my ass with poison oak."

"They found you I'm guessing." Andrea snorts. Of course, Dixon would compare his great story against a baby Omega's tragic one.

"Hell no." The Beta woman looks at the hunter in surprise, "My old man was on a bender with a Beta waitress he met; hadn't seen him in a couple of months. Merle was in another stint in Juvie. Both of them didn't even know I was gone, though I doubt they would have cared if they had. I found my way back, went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich."

"I'm sorry, but poison oak?" The two of them laughed.

"Only difference is Sophia's got people looking for her. I call that an advantage." Daryl says after they stop.

"Why didn't they care; what about your mother?"

Daryl's voice dropped and took on a raspy thick southern accent, "The world ain't evea gonna be givin no shits 'bout some Dixon boy. Don't expect it to, them how the weak get weaker, and die. Yer a Dixon boy, Dixons ain't weak. You take after yer whore of a moth'a and I shoot ya meself. I ain't raise no bitch."

Andrea stops walking, staring at the other man. Daryl didn't notice, yet he stopped to look for movement in the trees. "He would have done it too my old man. It's how he was raised, no bitches unless they're yours."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Andrea gasps.

"My family didn't take Mates or wives, only Breeders." Daryl swallows, "Dad only had one; he went against the rules, got attached. Never took another after my mom died, it would've killed him. He loved him, my mom. My uncle had six. He kept killing them when they "stepped out of place." First one I remember was Shelley, his fourth. I had a cousin from her, my uncle loved the kid; only boy he ever had. When he presented my uncle went to his room, saw the mess he made with his slick- Omega- old man shot him in his bed. Went and sat on the porch and had a beer with my dad. No bitches but yer own. Shelley came out with his shotgun, didn't say anything and blew her brains out. The two of them laughed and went and got my uncle another one. He fucked the new woman on the porch next to the corpse with the whole neighborhood hootin' and hollerin'. Took her inside and knotted her over his son's body. Told her she better never give him another bitch. I still hear her screaming in pain and fright."

"I thought you said you were raised Traditional. That's beyond Traditional, that's barbaric." Andrea stutters.

"Let me put it to ya this way; compare it to Christianity. New School is Baptist, Traditional is Old Testament. My neighborhood was somewhere between Jehovah's Witness and Amish."

"What?"

"I don't know, thought they were different enough for you to understand the severity of their rules and beliefs. Let's head back."

"I thought you said he was on a bender with a Beta when you got lost, but he never took another after yer mom?"

"I was 8 when I got lost, 11 when my cousin presented. My mom had killed himself when he found out dad was runnin off playing hookie. My mom might have been a Breeder, but he loved my dad too. It hurt him because he always thought he wasn't enough."

"Daryl? Why are you different? You don't believe in that stuff, I know you don't. Why?" Andrea watches the Beta's face.

"Because even though he was an asshole, Merle wanted the best for me. He raised me to be better than my dad, got me out of there after I presented and into a New School district. Made sure to beat all my dad's lessons out of me when he could. Still had to stay with the old man when Merle got picked up and served time, but Merle did alright by me."

"That why you don't trust Shane?" Daryl didn't say another word, but Andrea had her answer.

Carol and Dale are waiting for them to get back. When Carol sees them without her daughter, she starts crying, getting down from the RV and heading inside. Daryl sees her and says nothing when Dale comes down and looks at him. He turns off the flashlight and goes inside to comfort the other Omega, while Dale gives Andrea her gun back.

…

Glenn and T - Dog arrive at the farm after dark in Carol's jeep. They walk up to the door slowly, T - Dog leaning on Glenn heavily. Reaching the steps, they see blood. Glenn swallows and tries to joke it off, making sure T-Dog could hear him. "So, should we ring the bell or…?"

"We're past this aren't we?" T - Dog grunts as he walks up onto the porch, "Having to be considerate?"

"Did you close the gate up the road when ya drove in?" Maggie asks, smiling. Glenn moves in front of T - Dog and bares his teeth, surprised by the other Alpha. When he realizes what he did he whines an apology, throat bare but he stays in front of his hurt Packmate.

"Sorry, hi. Yeah we closed it." Glenn glances at T - Dog. "We came to help. Anything we can do?"

Maggie glances at the Beta and the cut on his arm. "It's not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though."

"We'll have it looked at; I'll tell them you're here." The two of them follow Maggie inside with the promise of food. Glenn could smell Rick, Lori, and Carl the second they stepped in. He whines, looking between Maggie and the room, not knowing if he could see them or not. T - Dog moves closer too, and Maggie smiles tightly, gesturing to the room. Glenn runs over just to stand in the doorway, watching.

Maggie looks at T - Dog in question. "We think he comes from a big family of Alphas, so he's Suppressed, badly. First time I've seen him act on his Alpha instincts was out there on that porch and you saw how quick he was to submit after it. Rick has done some good things for him and he ain't even been with us that long."

Maggie gives Glenn a little nudge towards Rick and the Alpha whines to get his Prime's attention. Rick turns around and stands up, going to his Packmates. He hugs them both and scents them, nodding to T - Dog's cut. "It getting any better?"

"Yeah. Daryl gave me some good ass painkillers and stuff. They're going to stay on the highway tonight, make a sign for Sophia, leave her some supplies and stuff." Rick purrs softly and rubs their necks when T - Dog tells him what the Packs were doing for the pup. Glenn steps behind Rick with a whimper when Hershel stands up from checking over Carl. Lori looks up at the noise and cuts off whatever the Elder Alpha was going to say.

"If they-"

"I'm sorry but Glenn," The Asian Alpha flinches at the way the Beta woman says his name, drawing Hershel's attention with a frown, "my son is lying here, internally bleeding and I don't have the patience to deal with your games. Grow up or get out of this room."

"LORI!" Rick roars, eyes black. "Be quiet. Now is not the time for your insensitive, Traditional Beta hierarchy shit. Keep my Pack out of your mouth."

Rick turns to Glenn, the Alpha's lip was bleeding and his throat was shaking with all his efforts not to make a sound, so he could stay in the room with the pup. Rick rumbles loudly and threatening towards Lori, but he massages Glenn's neck, trying to loosen the muscles before the Alpha cuts off his airway trying to please the Beta bitch. When that doesn't work, and Glenn's breathing turns shallow he moves.

"Maggie, please, help me get him in the other room, T - Dog make sure he's keeps breathing, we have to get him away from Lori. Now move, move!" The Prime shoves Glenn gently out of the room and they make their way to the couch. Once Glenn is seated Rick hits his knees in front of him, dragging Glenn's head forward and rubbing their scent glands together, purring as loud as he could. The others stay back and watch, even Hershel who had followed them in case the Alpha need medical help, because none of them knew what to do. How do you help an Alpha that is so Suppressed, he takes orders from a Beta that wasn't even a part of his own Pack?

Glenn clings to Rick and when he starts to purr back, the Prime gestures for T - Dog to join in. The Alpha pulls Daryl's rabbit's foot out of his pocket and holds it up to Glenn's nose as well. The smell of the four men helps, and Glenn finds the strength to speak.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to stay for Carl, I didn't mean to-"

"Hey, look at me." Rick waits until Glenn looks him in the eye, "I'm your Alpha right? Not Lori, not Shane, not Dale, me, right?"

Glenn nods. "So, who do you listen to?"

"You and anyone you put in charge. But Lori's his mother and she has a say about-" Glenn whimpers and Rick cuts him off. "-But I'm his father and if I say you can be in there, Lori can't do shit. Now, if it makes you feel better, I'll take you and T - Dog in there later when Lori comes out, so you won't have to worry about her saying anything to you, ok? You listen to me, not Lori; my orders, not anyone else's unless it's for the good of the Flock. We're going to listen to Hershel and his Pack because we are on their property, their rules. Both of you understand?"

"Yes, Alpha." Glenn and T - Dog reply. Hershel raises a brow in surprise that the younger Alpha was going to defer his Pack to another Alpha's decisions. It was a refreshing bout of manners the older Alpha hadn't expected.

"Now I'm going to go back in there to check on Carl, and deal with the Beta." The way Rick said that made the Greene Pack wonder how the pup could be the two of theirs if they didn't get along well. Rick ignores the other Pack while he purrs at Glenn, making sure the Alpha knew he wasn't in trouble, "But I need you to do something else for me. T - Dog's hurt right now, so I need you to take care of him while I take care of Carl, ok? Can you do that for me; take care of T - Dog? Be his Alpha right now while I deal with the puppy? Can you?"

"Yes! I can do that. You will be able to help if I need it, I know where Carl's room is. But you need to be there for the pup, Maggie can help show me and T - Dog around, right?" Glenn looks at the other Alphas, hopeful. Rick looks at Hershel, pleading, who nods his consent. Maggie goes over to T - Dog and helps him stand, Glenn rushes forward to grab his other arm, the injured one. He looks to Rick one more time.

"You know where I am." Rick purrs softly and waves them off.

"If that boy had a tail, it would be wagging so hard, I'd be scared he would sprain it." Rick laughs at the image and turns to the older Alpha.

"I mean it, my Pack will defer to you and yours. But Shane has his own Pack, and our Flock tend to fight amongst each other on what's right and wrong. I can't promise anything with them or the ones that stay unattached, but you have my word that I will speak with them and warn them about any rules you set up. They look to me, even Shane, as their Prime, so they are my responsibility. I hope we can come to an understanding." Rick holds out his hand for Hershel to shake, and he does. "Now, can we return to Carl and Lori? You were trying to tell us something about our son…. my pup and I want to know anything we can get."

….

Lori ran when Hershel tells them he was going to have to operate without the respirator if Shane and Otis didn't get back within minutes. Rick finds her on the porch, crying silently, with her arms wrapped around her sides as if they were the only things holding her together.

"Maybe this isn't a world for children anymore." Lori sighs.

"Yeah well, we have a child. And he's here now, so I guess-" Rick tries to joke off, not liking where the conversation was already going. Lori cuts him off with a scuff.

"Maybe he shouldn't be. Maybe this is for the best." Lori turns to the Alpha and gasps. Rick's eyes were completely black, white fist tremble by his sides with veins popping out like it was taking everything in him to hold back. The Alpha turns around, clenching and unclenching his hands, taking deep breathes through his nose. He snarls when she tries to call his name, and Lori seems to realize that MAYBE she had finally pushed too far. Once he's calmed down and his eyes are no longer black, Rick addresses the Beta woman. "You can't mean that. That boy in there is OUR SON."

"Why? Why would we want Carl to live like this? So, he can see more people be ripped apart in front of him? So, he can run…. and run…. and run…. and run? So, he can run away until he's- he's going to have to go to sleep with one eye open, hungry and scared and tired, every night for the rest of his life, for however long that will be? And if he does survive- what then? He lives as an ANIMAL, living off instincts? If he dies tonight, that's it. He doesn't have to be scared anymore. Jacqui and Amy and Jim; they don't have to-"

"ENOUGH." Rick growls angrily. "I won't- I will not listen to this anymore. THAT IS OUR SON! And you-"

Rick's voice breaks, his eyes water. How could he have ever loved this woman; how could Shane still? Rick shakes his head and walks away, ready to hit the Beta and knowing it would be wrong. Hershel's Pack wasn't like his and they didn't know their story. The Alpha couldn't risk them not treating T - Dog and Carl because he couldn't control his temper around his ex.

"Rick!" The Alpha stops, holding the door open with one foot inside, waiting for Lori to continue, "You have to understand, I can't have my son growing up in a world like this one."

"Then maybe Carl shouldn't be your son." Rick leaves her to sob on the porch. The nerve of that woman.

…..

Carl wakes up later, not knowing where he was. Rick and Lori calm him down and introduce Hershel before Carl goes into a seizure. Rick hits his knees, crying as he watches his pup shake in pain. He offers his arm before Hershel even says anything, "You're wasting time. Help my pup, please."

The others come in with the noise, All of Hershel's Pack and Rick's. And Lori chooses that time to make things worse. "I renounce my Claim."

Rick freezes and the group stares at her in shock. Lori wraps her arms around herself as Hershel asks, breathless in disbelief, "What do mean you renounce your Claim; Claim to whom?"

"To Carl. I don't want any child of mine to live in a world like this. What would they think of me?"

Rick knew where she was going, it was where she always went. The opinion of how others would view HER. The Alpha snaps. He turns to Lori with a snarl, "They're dead! Your friends, your family, your MOTHER. Their opinions don't matter anymore, because they're gone! How we raised Carl was never any of their business in the first place, it damn well isn't now. THIS IS YOUR SON."

"He was my son." Lori sniffles, "This is hard enough for me, Rick. I don't need you villainizing me-"

"You're his mother. He needs you now more than ever and your- your going to-" Beth, Hershel youngest daughter and an Omega, starts sobbing. Patricia herds her out, shushing her and glaring at Lori. Rick ignores everyone else and begs Hershel to take more blood.

"I can't take anymore from you Rick, you'll die."

"I can't lose my pup, please-"

"Take mine." The two men look at Glenn who was already moving to the seat next to Rick, rolling up his sleeve.

"Young man-"

"He's A Positive, I'm O Negative; I can donate to anyone. Take mine." The Asian Alpha insists, "Carl's a part of my Pack, my family. We take care of our own."

It was an obvious dig at Lori, and the Beta was quick to retaliate while Maggie rushed to get him set up.

"I'm not going to apologize for MY parenting choices to some-"

"That's it." T - Dog comes up and grabs Lori by the back of her neck, dragging her from the room, "I've had to listen to the bullshit comin' out of yer mouth for the last five months and now that the pup ain't your no more, I'm done. I'll guard the door." it shut behind the two of them and the ones left can hear them argue.

Hershel turns to Rick who was purring and Scenting Glenn softly in thanks. "I'm sorry but I need an answer. If I'm going to operate I have to do it now."

"Do it."

Shane gets back just as they're moving Carl to the table for surgery. Glenn stays where he is while Patricia gets the supplies ready. Rick runs out of the room to meet the two, Hershel following. Lori is already by the other Alpha since she was sitting outside with T - Dog when he pulled up.

"Carl?" The man pants, praying he wasn't too late. Hershel and Maggie grab the stuff and head back in, T - Dog taking the bags from Maggie, telling her to go greet the guys and thank Otis for getting the stuff, before running after the Elder Alpha as fast as he could. Maggie goes down where Rick and Lori are filling Shane in when she notices that something was missing.

"Otis? Is he-" she chokes back tears when Shane shakes his head, "no one tells Patricia. She needs to help daddy and she can't do that if she knows-he's-"

Maggie goes back in the house without another word. Rick pulls the Alpha that had risked so much for his pup into his Scent glands and just breathes, allowing his scent to calm the man. Lori has disappeared when they pull apart.

Glenn was released from blood duty after Hershel comes back in with the stuff from Shane and Otis, T - Dog right behind him. He goes to check on his Alpha, when Maggie comes through the door sobbing. He follows her instead and lets her tell him about Otis. His death, how the Greene Pack knew him; she told him about the others she had lost to the New World, whose pictures hung on the fridge. And when she couldn't talk anymore, he lets her use his shoulder to cry on, hoping his scent was as comforting to her as Rick's has been for him.

…..

Rick goes with Hershel to tell Patricia about Otis once Carl is stable enough. Shane watches as the woman breaks down at the table, before he goes sees the pup. He finds Lori in there, after not seeing her for hours.

"Why didn't you come see him after Hershel told Rick he was going to be ok?"

"I did something stupid; said something I regret but can't take back." The Beta takes a deep breath.

"I renounced my Claim; I couldn't bear the thought that he was going to die the same way he thought his father had. If I had just said it in front of Rick it would have been one thing, it could have been played off as both of us being over emotional because our son was dying. But I said it in front of everyone else and I just-" Lori stands up sniffing and wipes her hands on her jeans, petting Carl's hair one more time. Shane fights down the feeling to rip her hand off the boy. You don't abandon your pup, ever. "-There's a shower upstairs and your clothes and some towels are already in there."

She walks past him and places a kiss on his cheek, wiping more tears away and heading towards the porch. Part of the Alpha wants to go after her; his Mate was upset and in emotional pain. Another part of him thinks she deserves to be. He decides to go take the shower; hopefully it will wash away the feeling of guilt he has for sacrificing Otis. He shaves his head, praying no one had noticed the patch of hair the Beta had ripped out, trying to keep Shane from leaving him there, the Alpha's last bullet in his leg, preventing him from getting up.


	4. Beta Bitch Did WHAT!

The rest of the Flock show up on the farm in the early morning, while the Greene Pack and Rick's, as well as Shane and Lori, were moving stones to set up a memorial for Otis. Daryl rides in front, the others following. Glenn could hear the motorcycle coming before they could see it, and he let everyone know they were here, before running inside to get Rick and Hershel. They were in Carl's room, and the Elder Alpha was giving Rick the good news that his pup was going to be fine with some rest. They were discussing handing over all the Flock's medicine as payment for Carl and T - Dog's treatment and for letting them stay here while they looked for Sophia.

"They're here Rick, Hershel." They follow the younger Alpha outside as Daryl put the kickstand down and turns off the bike. The rest of the group piles out of the cars and walk over. Daryl's the first to speak, pacing.

"The pup ok? Thought you were gonna meet us back at the highway but we get Zorro here" he points at Maggie, "riding in on a horse -no offense- taking Lori and talkin' 'bout Carl being shot. What the hell happened huh? Can we see him; is he up?"

Daryl was pacing badly, like a cornered animal, watching everyone with suspicion. Hershel's Pack watch him without saying anything or looking at anyone else, which puts him on edge even more. The second Rick walks to him, he stops, waiting.

"He'll pull through, he's been in and out for a while but he's going to be ok." Daryl huffs, clasping Rick on the shoulder and moves back, behind everyone else. Glenn and T - Dog make their way to him, talking about the Greene Pack and Carl, how he was shot and Shane and Otis going for supplies, Otis's death and T - Dog thanks him for the pills.

Everyone one else goes to congratulate Rick and Lori, which the Beta takes in stride. Carol hugs her and says thank God. The Beta feels guilty for deceiving the Omega who had lost her child and wanted nothing more to find her. "Carol, I-"

"THE HELL YOU MEAN SHE RENOUNCED HER PUP?!" The Packs look at Daryl, who was livid, looking at T - Dog for answers, Glenn hiding behind the Beta.

"Daryl." Rick calls out, drawing the Omegas attention. The hunter ignores Rick and stomps towards the Beta, crossbow bouncing on his back. The Omega made a terrifying image, pissed and looking for a fight. Shane steps in front of his Mate, blocking Daryl from advancing.

"I don't see why it matters to you, Dixon. My family isn't any of your business." The Beta swallows, trying not to show her fear.

"Bullshit lady! They ain't yer family anymore; you gave them up. And the hell it ain't my business; or did you forget who brought the kid back after ya left him in the middle of a fucking herd at the CDC cause his Mama" Daryl makes a sarcastic wave at Lori, "didn't want to pay attention to where her fucking kid was? Guess you ain't got to worry about that now huh?"

Lori takes a step back and Shane gets in Daryl's space, pushing him away. "That's enough Daryl."

"What are you going to do Walsh? You ain't my Alpha." Shane tackles the Omega to the ground, throwing a punch to the man's head.

"HEY!" Rick roars running over to break the fight up. Daryl turns his head to avoid the punch while sending out one of his own. Knocking Shane off him, the Omega stands up and pulls the crossbow off his back, resting the pre-set bolt on Shane's temple. The Alpha rumbles softly from where he sat on his knees, the group all begging Daryl to stop. Rick gets right next to the man and pushes the bow to the side away from everyone.

"Daryl, stop. You're scaring everyone, including Hershel's Pack. We need them, and if the two of you are fighting after just meeting them, Hershel can kick us off his land." Daryl's eyes snap to the older Alpha on the porch, before looking at Rick, "We need to stay here. For T - Dog and Carl to get better we need to stay, they might even have a map, so we can start looking for Sophia better too."

Daryl's grip slacks and the bow moves further away from the Alpha's head, which Shane tries to take advantage of, but Rick squeezes the man's neck, one of his thumbs push on his Scent gland causing his body to go limp with a whine. Rick never takes his eyes off the Omega in front of him though, and Daryl nods pulling away. Rick lets go too and backs up. Daryl spits at the ground where Shane was and walk to Hershel. He looks at the other man and bares his throat an inch.

"I'm sorry. I'll stay away from the knot-head and his bitch; you won't have to worry about no more fightin' from me. Them woods, we allowed to hunt?" The group was a little shocked that he was asking that after almost killing the other Alpha, but Hershel just nods.

"Just not on my farm or any of my animals. And I ask you don't skin them on my porch. Maggie or Patricia will show you where you can dump the unused parts when you get back." Hershel tells him. Daryl nods and shoulders his bow, walking away.

"Be back 'fore dark." And he goes to disappear into the trees.

"Be safe. Carl will want to see you." Rick calls after him. A raised hand was his only reply.

…..

Hours later the group had finished putting the piles of stones together and Hershel says a prayer for Otis. Shane speaks as well as he was the last to be with Otis. Daryl wanders back a little after, three bags on his shoulders, crossbow in hand. He walks up to Hershel who was sitting on the porch with Maggie and Patricia while the other Packs were setting up camp.

"Why's everyone crying? Did I miss something?" Daryl asks quietly. Glenn comes out of the house and stands next to the door.

"Otis's funeral. We just finished." Glenn nods towards the pile of rocks under one of the trees.

"I didn't know ya'll were doing that today. My apologies, I would have been there to pay my respects." Patricia sniffles and thanks him before going in to check on Beth, Carl and Jimmy, Beth's boyfriend. Daryl pulls one of the bags open to look inside, before checking the next one. He pulls it off and holds it up, unsure.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier, so I- I brought tribute. It's the best parts of the animals I could find. It's mostly squirrel and opossums but-" he shrugs, and Maggie smiles and takes the bag. "I'm gonna sort through the rest after I drop our share off, the furs and stuff might be useful as the winter hits." Hershel nods and follows him and Glenn back to the group. He drops the bags off telling everyone that one was food, the other was guts. Jimmy and Maggie come out with a map and Shane, Rick, Daryl, Andrea, and the three from the Greene Pack circle around, placing rocks down to hold the map open.

"We can finally get this thing organized." Rick says, eyeing the map in consideration.

"Not you, not today. You gave three pints of blood, five minutes in this heat and they'll be dragging you back unconscious." Hershel tells Rick before turning to Shane, "And if you don't rest that ankle of yours, you'll be out for a month."

"Guess it's just me." Daryl grunts, pointing to a spot on the map, "I'm gonna head back to the creek, start from there and make my way back."

"I can still be useful." Shane cuts in. "I'll drive back up to the highway, check and see if Sophia came back."

"Alright. Tomorrow, we start this right." The Alpha nods.

The group goes to split off when Shane stops them. "We also need the gun training that we've been promising the Packs. Can't just have our people out there with knives, pointy sticks and shit."

"I'd rather your people didn't have guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this place into an armed camp." Hershel rumbles.

"With all due respect, you get a crowd of those things-" Daryl cuts Shane off, reaching over him to place his gun on the hood of the truck they were gathered around.

"Shane." Rick rumbles, "This is Hershel's land. We will respect his decisions. If he doesn't want guns on his property, we won't carry guns." Rick places his gun on the hood next to Daryl's and waits until Shane caves, surrounding his as well, before turning to Hershel.

"I do request that we have a lookout on the RV, with a rifle. Dale has experience, he's responsible. I doubt you'll even see it, but our people would be less inclined to carry if they knew there was one ready."

"Just the one. And not until I have spoken with the man and okay it. I will let you know when he can have it out." Hershel nods.

"Thank you." Rick bows his head, allowing his neck to show a little.

"Hate to be the one to ask but- what if we find the little girl and she's bit?" Shane lowers his chin, voice low as well.

"We do what has to be done. Keep it quiet from Carol and Carl until it's over." Rick shakes his head.

"What are you going to tell her mother?!" Maggie cuts in surprised.

"The truth." Andrea looks at the Alpha like she was stupid. "The girl's bit, we kill her. Zero tolerance for Walkers or them-to-be, right Rick, Daryl?" She looks at the two before walking off.

Daryl was the only one who notices the look shared between Hershel and Maggie, and the older Alpha's silent shake to not say anything. The Omega narrows his eyes but leaves it be for now.

The others leave until it's just Rick, Maggie, and Hershel. They talk about supplies for a while, then Maggie says she is going into town. Rick offers Glenn to go with, if they want but only if he's willing. The Alpha stares hard at the two of them, "I haven't done a lot to get Glenn where he is, but it's going to take a lot more before he's willing to do things on his own. I respect that this is your property; I ask you to respect that they are my Pack."

When Maggie nods, and Hershel gives his ok, Rick calls Glenn over to them.

"I hear your fast on your feet and know how to get in and out." Maggie says when the other Alpha stops next to his Prime. Glenn whines and looks at Rick and Hershel wide eyed, hands thrown up to defend himself. Rick rumbles softly and tries not to laugh. Maggie smiles at the other Alpha's embarrassment and continues, "Got a pharmacy run to town. You in?"

Glenn sighs and drops his hands, relieved. He looks at the other Alphas, waiting for something. Rick steps in, rubbing Glenn's neck gently. "Hershel said it was ok, and I'm giving you my approval as well. But it's your choice, you can say no."

"Uh…. sure…."

"Sir?" Dale interrupts quietly. Hershel turns to him, "What's the water situation here?"

Hershel takes the Elder around the corner, talking to him about the wells. Maggie leaves to saddle the horses and Glenn watches her leave. Rick coughs and Glenn turns around, scared.

"Just be careful Glenn. And make sure you have her and Hershel's consent before you Court, ok?"

…

Andrea finds Shane by the RV later, cleaning the guns. She walks over, intending to give the Alpha a piece of her mind. She had just gotten her gun back from Dale, she wasn't going to give it up again cause some bag of bones didn't want them to be carrying.

"Give up our guns?!" The Beta woman hisses.

"You heard the Prime, we're guests here. This is Hershel's land and he's Traditional, like me. I understand the rules he laid down."

"And you're ok with this?!"

"I don't recall being asked if I'd be ok with this. Rick's the Prime, he said that we must defer to Hershel and his Pack. For Carl, Sophia, and T - Dog's sake, we have to do what he wants. Lay down your weapon." Shane growls in anger.

"You mean like rolling over? Unlike YOU, I don't. You're the Alpha I chose to lead us, not Officer Friendly. But if you're to much of his bitch to grow a pair, I'll leave and find another Alpha to follow." Shane grabs Andrea by the neck and slams her head on the table. He walks over to the Beta's side and yanks her head to the side, exposing her neck to him. He snorts as the scent of her arousal coats over him. He leans down and bites, making sure to not break skin until she stops struggling. He already has a Mate, though he wouldn't mind having another cunt to fuck while Lori was learning her lesson about chasing after Rick. He licks her throat, coating it in a thick layer of saliva. He grounds his hips into her when she pushes back against him. Once he decided that she knew her place beneath him, he pulls back.

"I'm telling you to hand your gun over, NOW, because you don't know how to shoot. And if you shoot someone because you get ahead of yourself…. I'LL END YOU."

He grips her hips tightly, digging his nails into her skin for a moment until she bares her neck to him again with a gasp. Moving away from her, he walks back around to the other side of the table, picking up one of the guns. "I have to strip and clean them anyway. Still want to learn?"

"Yes, Alpha." Andrea purrs coyly, taking a seat and pulling out her gun. Shane flashes his teeth in a pleased snarl.

…

Rick was sitting on the porch when Daryl walks past him. He calls out to the Omega and jogs over to him when he stops. "You gonna be ok on yer own out there?"

"Better on my own." the Omega huffs, "I'll be back before dark."

"Daryl wait." Rick moves in front of him, making sure he doesn't touch the hunter, knowing how much the man hates being touched. "We have a base; we can get this search properly organized now."

"You got a point or are we just chatting?" Daryl snaps. The Alpha was taking valuable time away from the hunter that he could use to find Sophia.

"I just want you to know, since you're unattached you don't owe the Packs anything. Carl and Sophia aren't your responsibility, but I AM grateful for all you've done for them." Rick speaks over whatever Daryl was about to rip him for.

Daryl waits for the Alpha to finish talking before he swallows, shifting the crossbow on his back a little, looking at the ground. "You are my Pack, so Carl is my responsibility. Sophia's a pup and a fellow Omega, I can smell it on her. Carol and her…. I have to protect them, instincts and shit."

"You'll let me claim you as Pack?" Rick lowers his voice.

"Between you and Walsh, you're the better choice. And them pills ain't gonna last much longer, especially if we're giving them to Hershel like ya'll were talking about, for payment for Carl and T - Dog. Rather be in a New School Pack when I go into Heat." Daryl huffs. "Ya can do it later, when we don't have to worry about everyone snooping around. I ain't gettin' scented in front of the others."

"Whatever makes you comfortable, we'll do. I don't want my Pack to hate me cause of something simple we can fix." Rick reaches into his pocket and pulls out the chain and rabbit's foot, handing it back over to its owner. "Thank you for this too. It's helped. Come back safe, your Pack will be waiting for you. Carl will also want to see you. Good luck."

Daryl takes the little charm from the Alpha's hand, HIS Alpha's hand. Rick hesitates but holds out his hand after rubbing it on his scent gland. Daryl snorts but does the same thing before heading out to hunt, his Alpha's scent clinging to him.

Rick walks back to the house, meeting Hershel by the porch steps. The Alphas watch as the Flock gets their tents up, Dale on the RV on look out without the rifle. Rick turns to the older Alpha, "We could give you more space, move over by the barn."

"No, no need for that. It will be better for us all if you stay close to the house." Hershel gestures for Rick to follow him, and they start making their way to the field behind the house. "Now Rick, I don't say this easily. We're not used to taking in strangers, even Before. I don't think we're going to start now either. Once your pup is up walking around and your girl is found, I expect you to move on. We need to be clear on that; this arrangement is not permanent."

Rick swallows his whine, not wanting to make the other Alpha upset. They find a cliff and look over the map, planning ways to look for Sophia.

…

Glenn was waiting for Maggie to show up with the horses, ready to go on a run with the other Alpha. He watches through the binoculars as the woman comes closer. Lori steps in front of his vision and the Alpha jumps in fright. Good thing this Beta couldn't smell Glenn's embarrassment or interest in the Alpha female.

Alphas weren't supposed to get together, not from Traditional view. If the Beta had been anything else, Glenn could have been in trouble. Not that Lori could do anything; Rick was right. She wasn't part of their Pack and she couldn't do anything to him now that she had gotten rid of the last link to his Alpha by renouncing her son. But her going to Hershel….

"Hi. Here, the list of stuff for the Packs." Oh. Right. He takes the paper from her and looks it over, already mapping out the places he would need to go in the store to find everything. "And uh…. There's one other item, I wrote it down separately. It's personal. If we could be real discreet about this, okay?"

"Um… what is it?"

"That kind of defeats the purpose of it being discreet." Lori rolls her eyes. Glenn doesn't say anything, figuring that Lori was so air headed she didn't realize Glenn would find out what the thing was when he had to go get it. Fucking Traditional Beta.

"Where is it? I have no idea how long the other Alpha wants to be there, so I need to find this quickly."

"Try the feminine hygiene section." Oh. OH. Glenn blushes but reassures her that he'll get it.

….

Glenn and Maggie ride the horses in silence all the way to the town. Glenn thinks back to Rick in Atlanta and smiles in amusement. He keeps thinking about things his Alpha and new Pack have done for him, and it makes him a bit more confident to talk. He tells Maggie about some of the runs he did back in the Quarry; about meeting Rick in Atlanta, the car he got to drive to lure away Walkers. The Alpha notices that anytime he mentioned Walkers, Maggie would scowl and urge her horse a little faster, so he doesn't talk about them. When they get to the pharmacy, he asks if she was alright and gets brushed off.

"Back at the well earlier today… was that the first time you saw one of them killed up close? I guess it is kind of a shock, I know mine was. Out on the road, I guess we see it so much, we've gotten numb to it." Glenn says grunts as he gets off the horse.

"I guess so." Maggie gets down with ease and they head in. A sign in the window reads: 'Take what you need, and God bless.' Talk about southern hospitality. They go in and split up, Maggie looking for antibiotics behind the counter and Glenn looking for the item Lori asked for. When he finds it, he almost growls. Everything was clear now, her not fighting so much with Rick and the Pack, her renouncing Carl. Lori was pregnant with Shane's baby and was either cutting out a possible threat in the Alphas by having two pups with different fathers, or she was abandoning her pup because she couldn't get Rick back and now she's starting over. A rumble starts up in his throat as Glenn thinks about which option was more than likely to be true. Maggie's voice behind him sends him into action, hiding the pregnancy test in his bag and grabbing the closest thing next to him.

"Find anything?"

"Yeah just uuh… general stuff." he holds up the item and sighs. Why did God hate him?

"Condoms? You got a girlfriend or a Mate I don't know about?"

"W-Why would you asks…. about…. I mean…" Glenn stutters through.

"Glenn, I'm an Alpha, I could smell your arousal and interest in me the whole was here."

"Right."

"Well if you don't have anyone, then you're a pretty confident guy."

"NO! No no no no. I don't….I didn't mean…..to….no no no. I…"

"Something wrong with me?"

"No, nothing's wrong with you. I mean not just with you…. fuck that came out wrong. I just meant we're both…. I mean…I'm, I'm lost."

"I'll have sex with you." Maggie takes off her hat and leaves it on the shelf next to them.

"Really? Why?" Glenn mentally slaps himself, "We-we can't. We're both Alphas and from different Packs. You're Traditional and I'm New School, and-"

Maggie kisses the other Alpha, and Glenn melts. She smells so good, but weird. Like the farm and cleaning chemicals, and old books. It reminded him of his college library. She smells like a southern one, the building surrounded by farms. It was nice, and different from the city smell he remembered.

"My father knows I'm not Traditional, I switched to New School while I was in college, but I still allow him to take the reins and what not. He also knows I experimented while I was away." Maggie pulls off her top and bra, before stepping up to Glenn, who had closed his eyes. "You wouldn't be the first Alpha I've been with. If you want to stop, tell me. But you're not the only one who gets lonely. Do you want to stop?"

Glenn shakes his head and opens his eyes, whining loudly with a flushed face at seeing the Alpha's bare chest. He pulls his shirt off too and calms down a bit when he smells Maggie's attraction as well.

"You'll stop, if either one of us says so, right? I promise I will if I'm not good for you." Glenn asks nervously. Maggie agrees, and they kiss again.

They were almost to the Flock's camp when Glenn apologizes, again. "I'm really sorry."

"You have GOT to quite saying you're sorry. We both got off, it's fine. You were nervous, I get it. Stop trying to spoil it." Maggie sighs heavily with a small smile.

"But we…"

"Not all sex has to be penetrative, Glenn. We still did it, and you got your other Alpha cherry popped."

"I think you popped more than just that cherry." Maggie turns in the saddle to look at the Alpha, Glenn just shrugged. "It was my first time doing anything like that. Suppressed Alphas don't really have the confidence or desire to engage in sexual pleasure unless forced because of the hormone imbalance."

"What about you?" Maggie asks.

"I have Rick and the Pack to thank for that. I'm getting better every day. Maybe one day I'll even be able to go all the way, ya know?"

"This was a one-time thing." Maggie raises an eyebrow at the other Alpha.

Glenn urges his horse closer and smirks, "So it was good."

Maggie laughs, and they greet their Alphas in front of the house. Glenn hides behind Maggie until he can reach Rick, keeping his head down from Hershel's accusing glare. The two Alphas smelled heavily of each other and the Pack leaders could smell it too. Rick grabs Glenn's neck so he doesn't run, but not punishingly, more as a reminder that Glenn didn't go anywhere without facing whatever consequences were needed, if any.

"I know my daughter, and I know both of you would have had to consent to that for it to even happen. I would ask that it not happen again, or I will be forced to act to protect my family. Rick, Glenn, I'll leave you two alone to talk it over." Hershel goes inside.

"I'm sorry Alpha." Glenn whines. Rick gets him calm with just a rumble, causing both to preen at the improvement. They talk for a bit, then Rick goes inside to sit with Carl and Lori appears next to Glenn.

"Did you get it?" She demands, arms crossed over her chest. Glenn hands over the box, wrapped up in a brown bag. Lori snatches it from him and shoves it into the back of her waistband.

"You will tell Rick and Shane, or I will." Glenn rumbles in warning, swinging the bag onto his shoulder and starts making his way to the camp. Lori snarls and grabs his shoulder, turning the Alpha around.

"You're not going to say anything to them or so help me-"

"Or what?!" Glenn snarls back, eyes almost black, "You can't boss me around anymore Lori. You lost that right when you renounced Carl, cause now there is nothing connecting you with my Prime. Tell them or I will."

…

Daryl was away for a couple of hours when he found the older farm house in the woods. He gets the crossbow ready and approaches slowly not knowing if Sophia was hiding there. He kicks in the front door and starts searching rooms. The hunter doesn't find anything until he gets to the kitchen. Most people wouldn't have even noticed it, but Daryl had always been more observant than most. Merle had always called him the redneck Sherlock Holmes, and Daryl had always hit him in retaliation. But when it came to stuff like hunting, well….

The trash was what tipped him off that someone had been here. Most of the content was old, rotting and covered in dust. Months old. One can though, wasn't covered in dust. The quick glance at the trash turned into another search all together when he noticed that. He pulls out the can of sardines and checks the rest of the can, everything else was old. Pouring the liquid into the can after a quick sniff tells Daryl the can was opened recently since the oily water hadn't evaporated yet, but the smell indicates it was a few days old. Three at most, and the Omega's thoughts turn to Sophia. He notices the cabinet door was swinging open, and he points the crossbow at it. Going over to it, he swings the door open completely. Nothing.

No, not nothing. Two pillows and a blanket on the floor indicates that a small person was sleeping there, a child. On the door handle was a knotted string, preventing the door from opening past a certain point. Looking at the knot, Daryl recognizes it as the ones Shane was teaching Carl before Rick showed up. Carl had been showing Sophia how to do some when they had free time. Sophia had been here, because Daryl had just found her Nest. He sniffs it a few times, trying to catch a scent but all the food above it and the dust… nothing.

Daryl goes outside and starts calling for her, hoping she would come out if she heard someone she knew. No dice. He sees something though and walks over to it, away from the farm house.

He comes back to the camp almost unnoticed, his gift down by his side. Walking into the RV, because he knows that's where he will find Carol, he double takes when he sees how clean it looks. He goes to the back where Carol was sewing up a blanket.

"I cleaned up some. Wanted it to look nice in here when she comes home." Daryl nods and looks around again.

"For a second there, I thought I was in the wrong place." He gets a little laugh out of the other Omega and places a beer bottle with a flower inside on the table.

"A flower?" The Omega question the man.

"It's a Cherokee Rose." Daryl points at it with a huff. "The story is that when American Soldiers were moving Indians off their land, on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much because they were losing their little ones along the way. From exposure and disease…...starvation. A lot of them just disappeared, mostly the Omegas. Historians think that they were sold in slavery, for…. sorry. So, the Elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, give them strength….and hope. The next day this rose started to grow right where the mothers' tears fell."

Daryl pauses for a moment, to let Carol compose herself and wipe away her tears, "I'm not fool enough to think there's any flowers blooming for my brother. But…. I believe that this one…... bloom for your little girl."

"Thank you." Carol sniffles with a whisper and chuckle.

"You're welcome. I need to find Rick, talk to him about what I found. Just wanted to give you the flower. Do you want me to tell you what I found? I didn't want to get your hopes up since it wasn't much but…. still think you should know if ya wanna." Daryl sits on the bench across from the older Omega.

Carol nods her head with a small please. Daryl tells her about the house out in the woods, the food he found and the little Nest in the closet. He explains that it could have been anyone, the smell was long gone by the time he got there but Carol was still grateful for the information. Something was bugging her though. "Why Rick? You said you had to tell him what you found, but why him? Why not Shane? Or Hershel? They're our Alphas too, now."

"I don't want to go to Hershel cause of what happened between Shane, Lori and I before. I don't trust Shane; I've been around too many Traditional Alphas to put much trust in them to begin with but after the way Shane's been treating me….and that's with him thinking I'm a Beta."

"You're not?"

"Naw. I'm an Omega, just been on Suppressants my whole life. Merle taught me how to overcome my instincts, and I learned quick. With my neighborhood, it was either that or I was sold to be someone Breeder or killed. Besides out of the two Packs, Rick's is safer if I go into Heat. I want this to be a secret though, some of the others might fight back if they realize that an Omega was doing a lot of dangerous shit. Ya know how some people think we need to be cuddled, like Dale and Andrea with Amy. I'd rather avoid that." Carol nods at Daryl's explanation.

"Are you going to let him Scent you?"

"Tonight. After we talk, gonna have Glenn and T - Dog there too. Get all that shit out in one go. Might see if we can do it in Carl's room so we can Scent the pup too." Daryl gets up and leaves. He stops by the door and looks back at Carol. "You and Sophia can join too, ya know? Just in case. And…...I think she's really going to like it in here."

…..

Daryl had Rick's Pack in Carl's room and was filling them in on everything when Carl woke up, gasping. Rick's quick to go to the pup's side, calming him with his purrs. Once Carl calms down, he turns to his dad. "What's wrong with mom? I can't feel her anymore. Did something happen to her?"

The group was silent. Rick rumbles softly with a sigh. "No puppy, she's fine. It's just…...she…"

Carl starts whimpering, then sobbing, then chirping. The Pack moves as one, all three of them purring and releasing pheromones to calm the distressed pup. Daryl closes the door and pulls the curtains shut and blinds down on the window. He stands by the foot of the bed, "What's wrong pup?"

"She got rid of me, didn't she?" Silence. "I remember talking about the deer we saw before I was shot, then nothing, then I remember her saying something about a Claim, everyone was loud, then…. She renounced me, didn't she? Did I do something wrong? Was I bad?"

"Hey," Daryl snaps, "none of that. You didn't do a damn thing, this is all on her. Do ya hear me, don't blame yourself for that bitch. Besides, you got yer daddy and this Pack, ya don't need her. If ya want someone to mother you, ask Carol. Once we find Sophia, her instincts are going to be in overdrive. I have no doubt ALL of us are going to get it whether we want to be or not."

Carl nods, sniffling, but his chirping stopped. Daryl shrugs his apology to Rick for the language and the Alpha accepts it. Carl sits up a bit more and looks around the room, noticing the whole Pack was here. "Why's the whole Pack here?"

"We're-"

"-including me. Unless you don't want me in the Pack?" Daryl grunts when Rick trails off, not knowing what to say about Sophia. Carl tries to jump up and yelps when he pulls the stitches. Rick pushes him back down, so he doesn't hurt himself.

"Of course, I want you in the Pack. I told you that before, at the CDC when you found me, and again on the highway while we were looking for Sophia. Have you guys Scented yet? Can I?" The Pack laugh at the pup's enthusiasm. Glenn walks over and bares his throat completely, close to the boy so he wouldn't have to reach far. Carl looks at Rick, not knowing what to do.

"You rub your glands together, so it catches and remembers Glenn's scent." Rick purrs softly. The pup nods and lifts up enough to rest his gland on Glenn's. The Alpha rubs a bit, causing the oils from their glands to pool on each other's skins. After Glenn moves away Carl starts sniffing.

"I can smell Glenn!"

"You're imprinting his scent right now, while it's strong." T - Dog goes next, careful of his arm. They scent mark as well before Carl turns to Daryl. The Omega grunts as he moves to sit next to the pup on the bed, smelling distressed and nervous. Carl reaches up and wraps his arms around Daryl's neck, giving him a hug while rubbing their glands together. The archer shifts uncomfortably, holding the pup to him, his eyes never leaving Rick. The Alpha could tell that the Omega was watching him in case the Alpha got territorial over his pup. When Carl finally releases him and lays back, Rick places his hand on Daryl's neck. Rubbing his scent into the Omega's glands while he was still passive from Carl's scenting.

"There." Rick smiles with a rumble, "Now, you're officially Pack." Daryl nods and backs away from the bed to give his Alpha a minute to put the pup to bed.

"Dad?" Carl whimpers, "Where am I going to stay? Do I still sleep in mom's tent or do I sleep in yours?"

Glenn pats the pup on the knee, "I'll grab your things from Lori's tent and move them into your dad's for now. We can get everything situated once you're ok to be up moving around, ok?" Rick purrs his consent and T-Dog and Glenn leave to go do it before it got too dark.

"I'm going to go check on Carol, then I've got watch. If you need me, I'll be there." Daryl makes his way over to the door, stopping when Carl calls out to him.

"Daryl wait. I'm happy you decided to be part of the Pack. Thank you." Daryl nods again to the Alpha and his pup and leaves, his chest tight.

On his way to the RV, Daryl walks past the pasture by the barn, not noticing Lori kneeling in the grass, sobbing, a positive pregnancy test clutched in the Beta's white knuckled fist.


	5. Ever Done It In A Hayloft?

Most of the Packs were awake and circling the truck with the map before the sun reached over the farm house. Rick was splitting the map into color coordinated grids for the Packs to divide and conquer. Jimmy came over as they start discussing where they were going to search, offering his services. The group slips, and Rick follows Shane to the section they were going to be tagging with red cloth. The Alphas stay quiet, not speaking for a while. Rick broke the silence with a minute melancholy smile.

"You remember the name of that waitress at the Dairy Queen when we were in high school?" When the other Alpha stays quiet Rick snorts, "I know you, Shane, well enough to know that there is only one sure-fire way of engaging you in a conversation, and that is to start asking you about girls you did in high school. I don't want to, but I'll willing to do it if that's what it takes."

"What are we doing? You got everybody at your disposal out scourging these woods for a little girl we both know is likely dead." Shane growls, not biting into Rick's attempt for conversation.

"You think we should abandon the search?" Rick asks quietly.

"It's not my call, is it?"

"I'm asking, Shane." Rick stares at the other Alpha, "No reason for that."

"Survival, Rick. It means making hard decisions. I'm trying to save lives here and you're out saving cats from trees."

"Is that what you think Sophia is, a cat in a tree?" Rick cuts Shane off and growls until the other Alpha looks at him in the eye. Eye contact between two Alphas was usually seen as a threat or challenge for dominance. Rick had always been one to encourage it, so people would be equals instead.

"Don't do that, man. Don't twist my words." Shane scowls, never needing encouragement to meet his Prime's gaze. "How many times we get called up to look for a missing child, man? You got 72 hours, then you're looking for a body. And that was Before. I mean you honestly think we're just gonna find Sophia alive?"

"Are you that sure we won't?"

"We're being completely honest?"

"Oh, I'm counting on you to be." Rick growls.

"It's math, man. Love or not, Sophia… she only matters to the degree in which she don't drag the rest of us down." Rick clinches his jaw, so he doesn't bare his teeth and turns away from Shane, eyes going black at Shane's attitude towards a pup.

"I thought you wanted honest." Shane turns around and hit the closest tree with his gun, "If we'd just moved on, man, we'd be halfway to Fort Benning right now and Carl wouldn't've gotten shot. You said so yourself. But we're out here, we're risking lives. Your own son almost died. Otis, he paid that bill. What the hell are we still doing this for?"

"I had her in my hand, Shane." Rick whines, "She looked in my eyes and trusted me. I failed her. If I hadn't, she wouldn't be out here. She's a pup and I… I think she's still alive and I'm not- I'm not gonna write her off. What if it had been my pup, what if it was Carl?"

"Carl's not a 12-year-old Omega."

"His second-gender has nothing to do with it; he hasn't presented yet. And he was 11 when this started, he'll be 12 soon. What then?"

Shane looks away from his Prime and taps a tree with cloth tied around the small trunk. "It's blue. It's Andrea and T-Dog. Looks like we wandered into their grid. Come on, let's head back."

…..

Daryl had borrowed one of the Greene's horses and was hunting while looking for the lost pup. The forest was quiet except for the sound of the horse's hooves on leaves and the twang of the bow as he shot at squirrels. Daryl made his way to the farm house he found Sophia's Nest in, planning to start his search for her there. He ties the horse to one of the porch beams and makes his way in, checking all the rooms again but not finding anyone. Going into the kitchen he checks the trash can first, finding a jar of peanut butter sitting on top. That was new. The Nest looked the same too, but the smell was stronger. Omegan, and one that would be entering Heat soon.

The older Omega kneels next to door and starts pulling out flash lights and batteries along with food and water bottles he had stocked up on. Placing them on top on his winged jacket, along with a bottle of Suppressants, Daryl pulls out the shirts he had borrowed from Carol and rolls them round the supplies like a mini Nest. Pulling out a dry erase board he writes a simple note for the pup and leaves it on top of the pile.

'Sophia,

Stay here, we're looking for you. You're going into Heat and will need this stuff. Take one pill a day if you can keep track of them. Ration the supplies. Will comes back every other day to see if you're here. STAY PUT HERE. Lock the closet as tight as you can and stay quiet. The scent of your mom and us will help. We are looking for you.

Daryl Dixon'

Hoping the pup would find the stuff and stay in the farm house, the Omega heads back out and grabs the horse to continue the search. Daryl urges the horse to a halt as he passes a steep decline into the riverbank below, a flash of pink under a log makes him pause. A sniff of the area tells him only what he can see; water, dirt, rotting wood, and small rodents that lived nearby. Masking those scents was the dead, and under it was a faint hint of honey and what smelled of puppy breath. Sophia. Moving to a lower part of the small cliff, and jumping off the animal, Daryl holds his crossbow tight as he descends. Placing his feet carefully so he doesn't slip, the Omega walks through the shallow part of the pond and picks up the pink item.

Daryl whines in his throat as he holds Sophia's doll, the one she had gotten from Martinez's pup. Looking around the Omega calls out to the pup, not caring how loud he was being, just hoping his voice carries so the pup could hear him. Once he was up the slope with the doll in hand, Daryl turns the horse around, determined to get back to the farm house and Sophia's Nest, to wait for her to return. Daryl heard the hiss and braced himself as the horse startled. Thrown from its back and down the cliff, Daryl lands in the pool of water with an arrow through his side. The hunter wipes the blood from his eye with shallow gasps, the head wound must have been where he hit his head on some rocks.

He crawls to the dryer banks on the other side of the cove and cuts off the sleeves of his shirt, tying them together and binding the arrow to his side. Looking up he could tell that the horse was long gone and Daryl was below the highest point on the cliff. He looks around for a smaller hill to climb up, but they were all surrounded by water. Daryl didn't feel like swimming and climbing. He grabs a stick half his size to help him walk and beats it on the ground a few times to test its strength. A bush rustles to his left along with the sound of shuffling feet. Daryl reaches for his crossbow but finds it missing. He makes his way towards the spot he fell in the water and uses the stick to dig the bow out of the muck, ignoring the pain as much as he can.

Keeping his injury in mind, he uses the stick and his bow to drag him up the hill, grabbing the thin trees as he goes. He gets half-way up, having grabbed another stick to feel out solid parts of the ground to use to pull himself up through the loose dirt when things go wrong. The stick breaks and he tosses it away, holding on to the tree to balance himself. "Come on, you've done half, stop being such a pussy."

Lunging for a higher tree causes the dirt to shift from under him and he starts sliding back with a surprised whine. Tumbling down the cliff again, he hits another rock as he rolls and blacks out. He comes to slowly, his body twitching and gently rocking like someone was trying to shake him awake. The scent of milk and puppy was stronger than before, the hint of Heat was heavy in the air. Sophia, she was here. Loud whining was turning into deep growling as Daryl pushes himself into consciousness. A Walker was biting at his boots but looks up and hisses as the Omega starts to move.

Daryl yelps a high-pitched noise and kicks the Walker away, whining and whimpering as it follows him. He reaches for his bow that's not quite in reach, then stabs and punches the Walker, rolling it under him. The Walker grabs at the hunter's hair and Daryl rolls away as a second Walker comes out of the woods, drawn by the sounds of the fight. The Omega knock the Walker onto its back and grabs the broken stick from where it had fallen before, and uses it to bash the Walker's head in. Falling onto his side, the Omega pulls the arrow out of his side and loads it into the bow, landing on his back just as the Walker gets over him and aims for the head as best he can while in pain. The body falls down beside him and Daryl lays there, panting. He drops the bow and when he comes to again, everything is the same.

Pulling off the button up shirt he was wearing, leaving him in his white beater, Daryl folds the shirt and uses it to put pressure on his wounds. He takes one of the squirrels he shot earlier that had stayed on during the fall, and cuts it open, eating it raw. He tucks Sophia's doll into his belt and starts the climb again. He hears a muffled scream and looks up towards the top of the cliff a few feet away. Sophia. The Omega in him pushes its way to the surface and takes over with his adrenaline, pushing him past his pain and he climbs a little faster. Digging his fingers into the top-soil at the top of the cliff, Daryl drags himself up, searching the trees for movement. Seeing neither Walkers or Sophia, the older Omega swallows and does something he never thought he would ever do; he chuffs and thrills for a pup.

His instincts and memories of his own mother help him to make the sounds to call to the missing pup. His mother used to stand at the edge of the woods and thrill for him and Merle until they would respond. He would hold Daryl when he was really young and chuff at each chirp that Daryl made to calm him when their father would beat Merle. Getting no answer, Daryl makes his way back to Sophia's Nest and past that, the Greene farm, softly calling to Sophia as a mother would call to their cub.

….

The old Alpha stands in the doorway of the dining room, looking into the kitchen as the Beta and Omega from Shane's Pack help Patricia and Beth prepare food. Maggie passes her father as she sets up a spare table, drawing the Alpha's attention.

"What's this?" He points, upset, towards the group of women.

"Lori and Carol are cooking dinner for us tonight."

"Well that's the first I've heard of it."

"They want to thank us for helping them, I didn't think it was that big of a deal." Maggie stands up, a silent challenge for her father to question her decision. The older Alpha had started her training to take over the Pack before the outbreak, and in a few days she was to take over as Prime. With the new Packs on the farm though, it wouldn't surprise her if he held off until they left.

"We need to be setting clear boundaries with these people. They're getting a little too comfortable on our land, with our people."

"It's just dinner, daddy."

"What's going on with you and the Asian boy?" Herschel rumbles.

"Glenn." Maggie rumbles back, "He's just a friend."

"Friends don't come back smelling like each other like you did after going into town. It's bad enough that I have to chase Beth and Jimmy around. I would rather you didn't get off with one of theirs. They're not staying, and I don't want you to get attached to one of them, especially another Alpha."

"Why? It's not like we're going to Mate dad. And if I'm going to be the Prime before next week, I'm going to let them stay." Maggie raise her hand, cutting off whatever her dad was going to say, "Daryl is bringing us food and furs, which we need now that Otis is gone. The others are helping with chores and they have Omega's and pups, something I think would be good for Beth."

"They're not going to be around forever, so don't get to close. When your Prime I hope you'll take how I feel into consideration." Maggie leaves to go get more supplies.

…..

Dale finds Andrea standing on top of the RV with the rifle pointed at the woods. "What's with the Annie Oakley routine? Hershel doesn't want the guns to be visible from the house."

"I don't want to wash clothes anymore Dale, I want to help get the Packs safe. Is that alright with you?" Andrea snaps at the Elder with a small growl.

Dale flinches a little, hurt, but walks off. Andrea rolls her eyes and huffs, bring the rifle to eye level to look out the scope at the woods. Dale goes into the RV and after ten minutes Glenn comes out, the Alpha's head low as if he had been scolded. The Beta on the RV watches the Asian Alpha walk into the camp and make himself busy with a misplaced sense of justice. At least she wasn't the only one getting Dale's shit. Looking back out to the woods, she sees a figure stumble out of the trees.

"Walker. Walker!" The others gather around and look where Andrea's pointing. Glenn stays behind Rick as the Alpha and Shane grab blunt weapons.

"Just the one?" Rick asks.

"I bet I can nail it from here." She grabs the rifle and sets it up, looking down the scope. The light glare made it impossible to see a face, but it didn't matter.

"No. No, Andrea put the gun down." T-Dog comes up with a baseball bat and a crowbar and hands the bat to Glenn with a soft purr. The shaky Alpha's last encounter with the Walker in the well had pushed Glenn back a bit in his recovery.

"You'd best let us handle this."

"Shane hold up. Hershel wants to deal with Walkers."

"What for man, we got this covered." The Alpha takes off for the Walker and Rick curses, waving his Packmates on as he grabs his gun from the RV, running to get ahead of the others to keep them from doing anything stupid. Andrea scoffs and lays down on the roof, setting the rifle to get a good shot from behind the group.

"Andrea don't."

"Back off Dale."

Rick get a few feet away and points the gun at the Walker's; Daryl's head. The group holds their breath and Glenn whimpers, "Is that Daryl?"

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head Alpha." Rick laughs, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. "You gonna pull the trigger or what?"

Rick lowers his gun and clicks the safety on, putting it back into its holster. The tension drains from Daryl's body and he grins. A sound like thunder and the Omega was on the ground, head bleeding again.

"NO! NO!" Rick screams. T-Dog and Glenn scream too and rush to their Packmate's side. Shane looks back to the RV where Andrea was preening with pride at taking out the Walker…. Until they heard Rick and the others scream, wiping the smug look off the Beta's face.

Hershel and the others come rushing out of the house, Lori screaming for Rick.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON OUT HERE?!"

Rick kneels next to Daryl's head, praying Andrea had missed. The Alpha in him ignored Rick's warnings of Daryl's personal space and brushes the Omega's hair back, seeing where the bullet had grazed the side of his head. Daryl reaches up and touches it with a wince but lets the Alphas drag him to his feet. "I was kidding."

The Omega lets his head fall to Rick's shoulder, scenting his Alpha silently. Rick heaves him higher so he could scent him as well, smelling a wound under all the dirt and blood. He could also smell the scent of honey and puppy breath; the smell of a presenting Omega in heat. The puppy smell and the fact that there weren't any pheromones meant the smell wasn't coming from Daryl. The older Omega wasn't the one in heat. Rick breathes a sigh of relief at that, but growls when Shane goes to help lift him. Glenn comes over and slings an arm over his shoulders. Andrea and Dale were sprinting down to the tree line while the group makes their way back to the farm house.

"OH MY GOD!" Andrea sobs, "Oh my god is he dead?!"

"You just grazed him." Shane pushes her back when the two Alphas holding their Packmate flash black eyes to her, Daryl leaning heavier on his Alpha. T-Dog follows at a slower pace. Shane grabs the Beta by her neck and starts to drag her along, ignoring Dale. "What the hell were you thinking?! I fucking told you to let us handle it and you fucking ignored me and now Daryl's out with a gunshot."

"He was injured before, while he was out there. That's why he was limping, and now you've put another hole in him." Glenn flashes his teeth at Andrea when she tries to get a closer look at the injury. Shane pushes her back and puts himself between the two of them.

"Guys!" T-Dog huffs behind them. The group turns and looks at the doll he holds up; the red yarn hair, the tattered dress and yellow leggings, the button eyes. "Isn't this Sophia's?"

"Its hers." Daryl groans, "Found it, found her. She's…. She's…. Heat…. maybe…" Daryl goes limp, his body shutting down to heal, now that he was with his Pack.

Rick looks to Shane, the discussion about dropping the search running through both of their minds. Rick and Glenn continue to carry the unconscious man to Hershel to be patched up. They get him inside and, in a room, not to far from Carl, the pup still asleep. The older Alpha cleans the bullet wound and wraps up his head while the Omega was still out. Rick sat at the man's bedside, holding the doll and looking at it and then at Daryl, like he couldn't believe it was in his hand. Shane stays by the door, refusing to come into the room while Rick was still on edge. Hershel had just started to stitch up the arrow wound when Daryl came to again.

"...Gon' on?" Daryl blinks.

"What?"

"What's going on?" Rick rest a hand on Daryl's shoulder, making sure the hunter could see it the whole time.

"You said you found Sophia; you had her doll?" Rick shows Daryl the doll that he had been holding and nods at Shane to go grab the map. When the Alpha leaves, Rick asks Daryl if he was alright with Shane coming in to talk about the plans.

"He says nothin' bout them." The hunter points at his scars, "He don't stare either."

"I'll tell him." Rick meets Shane at the door and give him Daryl's warning. The two Alphas come in and get an idea of where down the creek the doll was found, cutting the search area in half. Once Hershel leaves with a snide remark about his horse and the medicine they were going through, Shane turns to Daryl, watching as he pulls the covers up to his shoulder.

"You said you found her, but you didn't bring her back. Why; she bit?"

"Don't know."

"You don't know." Shane laughs, ignoring Rick's rumbles, "You seen her but don't know she's bit?"

"Ain't seen her." Daryl flashes his teeth at the Alpha, "Said I found her. Seen where she's hiding, her Nest." He turns his attention on Rick, not paying Shane any mind, which raises the Alpha's neck hairs. No Beta had a right to treat him like that. If Rick hadn't claimed the Beta hunter for his Pack, Shane would have shown the little bitch exactly what happens when you cross an Alpha.

"She's hiding in this old farmhouse, one of the neighbors most likely. I left her some Suppressants cause she's in Heat; maybe started it yesterday. Carol gave me one of her shirts to give her and some food. Left a note saying we'd come by every day. The smell was stronger today than it was yesterday, so she came back even after I entered her Nest, which is a good sign. I'm going back out there tomorrow, and ya ain't coming with." Daryl cuts Rick and Shane off when they try to protest, "Your both Alphas, with overpowering scents. If she's there and smells you, she'll bolt. Even if she recognized your scents, with her Heat and the fact that she's terrified, she'll leave. Then we lose any trace we might have of finding her."

"You won't be able to move much with your injuries," Daryl snarls and Rick back tracks, knowing where the Omega would take it, "I'm not saying you're not going, you are."

"Rick, man, he's..."

"The only one you know where the house is." Rick cuts the other Alpha off with a look, "And the one that Sophia has been smelling in her Nest. But I think it would be a good idea to take someone with you. T-Dog would be the best choice. He's quiet in the woods, he knows to give you space and he doesn't talk much, plus he's a Beta. He won't scare her off; the two of them hung out on the road and at the CDC, his scent might help. Take him with you?"

"I can do that." Daryl watches his Alpha, "He's still hurt though. I'll take Glenn if he's not up to it."

"Glenn's an Alpha, or does your Beta nose not tell you shit?" Shane growls pissed that Daryl would allow the wanna-be Alpha to join him but not Shane.

"Glenn's so subservient he smells like a Beta half the time. Plus, Sophia trust him more than me, if I can't get her out, he can." Daryl growls back. Rick lays his hand on Daryl's arm and gently pushes him down to rest. The two Alpha's leave, Daryl listens to them growl at one another in the hall with Lori trying to play sides again. Rick leaves to check on his son and Lori and Shane whisper a little longer before Shane storms off to punish Andrea, his Mate following on quiet steps.

It was hours before anyone came up to the room and Daryl spent the time sleeping and looking at the doll. When the door opens Daryl pulls the sheets up to cover his scars, looking over his shoulder to see Carol with food and water.

"How are you feeling?" She asks. Daryl could hear the quiver in her voice. She could probably smell Sophia on him.

"About as good as I look."

"I brought you dinner." Carol places the tray on the bedside table, "You must be starving."

"Thanks." Daryl looks at the food in hunger but doesn't move to grab it. Carol smiles at the younger Omega and places a kiss on the bandage near the bullet graze. Daryl just blinks at the woman and croons; trying to comfort her. Realizing what he had done, Daryl turns over after clearing his throat with a huff, "Watch out, I got stitches."

Turning to leave Carol opens the door and looks back at the hunter, "You need to know something. You did more for my pup today than her daddy ever did in his life."

"She's Pack." Daryl grumbles with a low croon, purposely comforting this time, "Didn't do nothin' the others would have."

"Rick and his maybe; Hershel's too if she was one of theirs. But Shane's tried to call off the search multiple times now. He's even stopped looking for her with the others. You're better than Shane; and you're just as good, if not better, than 'bout everyone else out there. Cause you're trying to not just find her but taking care of me and the others on top of it. They might not say it, but I will; thank you." With a final kiss and low croon, Carol was gone, leaving Daryl to stare at the little doll in his hands.


	6. Mr Dixon?

Glenn had been watching the barn all morning, the image of the Walkers trapped inside had kept him up all night. Why would Hershel's Pack be keeping Walkers in the barn?

"Could you be any more obvious?" Maggie drops a basket of fruits by Glenn's feet. "Here enjoy."

"Going to buy my silence with fruit, really?"

"Oh, course not." The female Alpha pulls out a Ziploc bag of meat from her waistband, "There's also jerky."

Glenn laughs and opens the bag, pulling out the smallest piece and splitting it in two, handing half to Maggie and eating the other. She smiles and takes it, enjoying the shade of the tree and the smell of wet dough and pineapple coming from the male in front of her.

"Why do you smell like that? Dough and pineapple?"

"I delivered pizzas downtown before all this and there was this old couple that ordered a Hawaiian once a week; they always gave me a slice along with a $10 tip. More often than not the slice ended up on my lap than in my mouth while I drove back. I had the job since I was in high school, so after so many years doing the same thing the smell just kind of stuck." Glenn shrugged. Maggie gets closer and takes a stronger whiff, freezing Glenn in his place. When she moves back with a hum Glenn clears his throat.

"Why does your dad have a barn full of Walkers?"

"You can't say anything ok? Daddy thinks they're still people; that they're just sick." Maggie looks at the barn and swallows, "I used to but after the Well, I don't know. The others in my Pack still think so though, and we know how your's deal with the infected. You can't say anything to them, please."

"I'll try. I can't lie though, I suck at it. They'll see right through me, especially Shane." Glenn looks at the other Alphas, who were getting the guns together for the first shooting class.

"Promise me, you'll try."

"Of course. Your land, your secret. Just don't hate me if I can't." The Asian Alpha watches the other walk back to her home, before he grabs the peaches and goes to give them to Dale and the ones staying behind. He passes Andrea on her way to the tents and hands her two, asking her to give one to Daryl, which earns him a small smile and an eye roll.

The female Beta finds the hunter in his tent, poking holes in the screen with one of his arrows. She steps inside with a soft "hey." Sitting down she hands him a book she had gotten from Dale's RV and the peaches.

"The peaches are from Glenn, though he got them from Maggie; and the book is Dale's. It's not that great but…. It's something to do ya know?"

Daryl flips through the book and smirks at her, "What, no pictures?"

"I'm so sorry, I feel like shit."

"Yeah, you and me both." He taps the book and nods, a silent thanks, and puts it next to his cot.

"I don't expect you to forgive me but if there is anything I can do…."

"You were protecting the Packs." Daryl cuts her off, "You don't ever have to apologize for that. We're good."

"Thanks." Andrea shifts in her seat.

"That bruise," Daryl points to the purple fingers on her throat, "Shane's punishment?"

"Yeah. For shooting you after he told me to put the rifle down and let them handle it. Hershel yelled at him and Rick about the guns again." Andrea gets up opens the tent up.

"He ever crosses that line, of being an Alpha and being an asshole, let me know. I got ya." Daryl smiles, "And the next time you shoot me, you best pray I'm dead."

….

Daryl was up walking around listening to the others talking around the map. He grabs a third peach from Glenn as he passes and flicks his baseball cap down, lightly scenting the Alpha. Watching Beth and Patricia talk Rick and Shane into letting them come to practice, Daryl notices Carl up and next to the RV. Daryl makes his way over to the youngest member of his Pack and sees something bulk out of the boy's shirt. He was hiding something.

"Hey pup. Nice hat." He flicks the sheriff's hat his dad gave him and sat against the back of the RV. "What's going on?"

"I heard you got shot too. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. It grazed me." Carl puts the hat on Daryl's head and grins. "What that for?"

"You're a part of the 'I Got Shot and Survived' club. Me and dad are members too. We share the hat." Carl puffs out his chest and gestures for Daryl to put the hat on. The Omega man places it back on the pup's head and rubs it in, ruffling the boy's hair underneath.

"Alright let's see it. Whatever it is bulging your shirt right there." Daryl points at the front of his pants. Carl looks at the other adults and lifts the corner up, showing a pistol tucked in his pants.

"Come 're." The pup whines but approaches nonetheless. Daryl holds out his hand and watches as Carl hands it to him; barrel facing the ground and not pointing at either of them or the camp, checking the safety, and fingers away from the trigger. The kid knew gun safety at least a little. Daryl opens the chamber and the bullet falls out, four out of six.

"Alright, this what we're gonna do. The gun wasn't loaded but ya had the bullets on ya too. That right there might save ya an ass woopin' cause yes we're telling your dad." Daryl looks at the pup.

"Please don't tell him Daryl, he'll be really mad. Mom too."

"Your mom ain't got a say in yer raising anymore, so don't worry about her. Rick is our Alpha, and your dad. We have to tell him even if we don't want to. But I'll help ya out as long as you behave and follow my lead." Carl nods.

"Good, now why do you have this?"

"I want to learn how to shoot, to look for Sophia and protect camp."

"Where'd you get it? RV?"

"I told Dale that dad sent me to get a walkie."

"I'll come up with something to get you in as little trouble as possible, but this is it. You fuck up again and it's on you." Carl nods and Daryl pockets the gun and bullets, "Sit here. Be right back."

Daryl goes over to Rick and Shane and bumps his Alpha's shoulder for his attention. "Rick, we need to talk."

"Hang on. What's up Daryl?" Daryl pulls out the gun and hands it to Rick.

"Daryl we can only have a few guns out at a time. What wrong with it?"

"I ain't the one that got it out."

"Who did?"

"That's why we need to talk, but ya can't just go yellin' at him. You do that and he's gonna hide a lot more than a gun."

"Carl." Rick sighs looking over at his pup. "Come on."

They make their way over, Shane following them. When they get to the pup, Rick pulls the gun out and kneels. They talk about the gun and how he got it. Daryl decides to not mention the bullets, and Carl doesn't either. Shane offers to teach him and leaves it up to Rick. As the Alpha starts setting down rules for both Shane and Carl to follow, Lori shows up.

"What is going on? Why are you all over here with a gun in front of Carl?"

"Because Shane is going to teach him how to shoot." Rick clinches his jaw, preparing for the fight.

"Excuse me?! He was just shot." Lori points at the pup, "He is just now getting back on his feet and now he wants a gun?"

"It's better than him being afraid of them." Rick crosses his arms over his chest, "We have guns in camp for a reason, it's better he learns how to use them now, safely, while it's calm and we have a place to do it."

"I don't want my kid walking around with a gun." Lori growls at Rick.

"Who's kid?" Carl stands up, "You renounced your claim to me; which, in Beta world, means you signed away your rights and dad has full custody now. You don't get a say in this anymore."

"Hey!" Daryl smacks the back of Carl's head, just enough to snap him back to attention, "Watch your mouth. Renounced claim or not, she gave birth to you and raised you. Don't bad mouth in front of her and yer dad."

"I'm sorry." Carl turns to Rick, "Can I learn to shoot?"

At Rick's consent, Daryl steers the pup away from the others, calling over his shoulder with a little bite, "Come on. I'll show you how to skin rabbits until your gun lessons. They're needed skills nowadays."

…..

After Rick gets Hershel's permission to teach his Pack how to shoot, those that were going left in the cars closest to the road. They set up cans on the fence post and line everyone up to one. Carol kept an eye on Carl while they took turns and Rick and Shane walked around. Shane stays with Andrea when everyone goes back, and they work on moving targets, a log tied to a tree and swung side to side.

The ones back at camp were talking about how well they did and congratulating Carl. Dale and Glenn were weighing the pros and cons of telling everyone, after Hershel's comment concerning Shane and maybe Andrea doing something drastic. Lori goes down to talk to the older Alpha while he was fixing the fences and learns that the Greene's Pack was expecting them to leave after Carl fully heals. Pissed she goes back to the camp to confront Rick, because of course it would be his fault none of them knew they weren't welcomed anymore.

"Hershel expects us to leave?" She asks after she gets close enough to the Alpha. When he doesn't respond she huffs, "Does anyone else know?"

"Glenn, T-Dog, Daryl, and Shane."

"Were you going to tell the rest of us?"

"The only one I can tell is Carl, and I was waiting until we found Sophia to do that. The rest of you are Shane's Pack and by Traditional Law, he has to tell his Pack news like that."

Lori leaves and passes Dale handing out some food. Covering her mouth at the smell of cooking meat, Dale follows the Beta to clean air. After sharing stories of his own pregnant wife and some advice concerning Lori's baby, Dale went back to cooking and Lori walks back to her tent to write out a list of stuff they would need. She had made her decision. She finds Glenn chopping wood and ask him to make a run into town, handing over the list before she could change her mind.

…

"You didn't have to come, you could have just hated me from a distance." Maggie urges her horse faster and pulls ahead of the other Alpha, "Please say something."

They make it all the way to town before Glenn tries again, "Maggie I-"

"I asked for your trust and you betrayed it." The Alpha female snaps, "Now my dad's pissed at me. Your turn."

"Why does your dad think they're sick?" Glenn ask as they pull up to the pharmacy. They tie the horses to the poles outside, "If you had seen Atlanta you would not have a barn full of Walkers."

"I wish you'd stop calling them that."

"I'm sorry. What do you call them?"

"Mom, Shawn, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, Lacey, Duncan." Maggie walks into the building and leaves the other Alpha outside. She passes Glenn at the feminine hygiene section and scoffs, "What does she want now?"

"I can't say."

"So, one of them ask you to keep your mouth shut-" Glenn hands over the paper with the item on it, a whine leaves him when she reads it. To think what Lori was asking them to get, what she was going to do with them…

"You've got to be kidding me." Maggie storms off in a huff behind the counter, troubled as well. While she was grabbing the pill bottles, Glenn starts scanning shelves for anything else the group might need. Picking up one of the bottles and reading the label, a hand grabs Maggie's wrist. Growling, the Walker could almost be heard over the female Alpha's screams of fright. The Walker pulls Maggie's arm closer to her and she screams, "GLENN!"

Glenn reacts quickly, grabbing a shelf off one of the stands and jumping the counter, swinging it at the Walker's head. It falls to the ground, releasing the sobbing Alpha. Glenn rushes over to Maggie, crooning.

"Are you bit? Did it get you?" When Maggie shakes her head, Glenn gathers her in his arms and presses her face into his glands, still crooning.

"Glenn!" The Walker was up again, and Glenn swings the board into its head, knocking it back down. Keeping himself between Maggie and the Walker, The Alpha grabs his knife and makes sure it goes all the way through to the brain. Dropping the dead body, Glenn stabs it a few more time, just to make sure the threat was gone. Pulling Maggie into the corner of the room, he sits her down with his knife and checks everywhere for another Walker. Finding none he goes back to Maggie and croons, keeping her against the wall, away from everything until she could calm down.

(Glenn didn't realize just how Alpha he had acted until later when he tells the story to Rick, who rubs their glands together and purrs in joy at how far the Alpha had come.)

The ride back to the farm was at a full run, pushing the horses to get them there quick. Maggie jumps off and runs towards Lori the second she sees her. "HEY! We got your stuff!"

"Maggie hang on, please."

"Well come on in here." Lori tries to usher them into the tent before the Alpha caused a scene.

"Why?! You ain't got nothing to hide!" Maggie starts throwing things on the ground as she pulls them out of the bag, "We got your lotion, your conditioner, your soap opera digest. Next time you want something, go get it yourself.…. And here's your abortion pills."

Maggie takes off towards her house and Glenn sighs, following her.

Rick was grabbing the last of Carl's things from Lori's tent when he found them, the morning after pills. Four were missing, one pill a day would match up with when Maggie and Glenn had gone before. Or she got them on today's run and overdosed on them. Rick was going to go to her and see how she was doing. Instead he grabs his son's things and leaves; her and Shane's baby, their decision.

…..

Daryl had been out in the woods all day looking around for Sophia with T-Dog. They had stopped by the farmhouse right after shooting practice that morning and left another note and more clothes. The two Packmates had spent a few hours sealing up the windows and doors so the smell wouldn't leak out when the pup hit full Heat. Sophia hadn't made it back the previous night which was worrying because Daryl could smell signs of other Betas and Alphas hanging around. Someone's group was getting to close to the pup's Nest and that was unsettling. They comb the woods looking for any sign of her, following her tracks back to the creek.

"Maybe we should check the highway?" T-Dog suggest. They get back to the camp and check in with Dale before making the walk up. Not expecting to find anything, they were pleasantly surprised to see the food and drinks gone. They check the car with the sign and the surrounding cars too. They're disappointed to realize that the supplies had been nabbed when another group came through, the car tracks, more Walker bodies, and missing six pack Daryl had found and ignore in one of the trucks pointed to a group instead of Sophia.

Daryl was checking to see if there was anything useful left and found a kit; a Heat kit. Pocketing that for the next time one of them went into Heat, Daryl noticed a white board on the ground. Picking it up he could see bit of his own message to Sophia on the outlines, but someone had wiped the middle clean to draw a house and write Mr. Dixon on it. Sophia.

"Hey man. I'm dead on my feet, we have to go back." The sound of a car pulling up, demanded their attention. Seeing it was Rick and Carl, the two men go over to the passenger side and Daryl opens the door, helping T-Dog in then leans over Carl's open window to talk to Rick.

"He's done for the day, take him back and get him in the shade with some meds. I found another clue for Sophia and I think she's only staying at the farm house during the night. Thinking I'll stay there tonight and hopefully can bring her back by tomorrow."

"Really?!" Carl jumps up and down in his seat, "She'll be home by morning?!"

"Maybe pup. But she's going into Heat." Carl calms down with a look of understanding, "I might not be able to move her until night fall or the day after."

"Can you make it back to the farm house from here?" Rick asks.

"I'll catch a ride with you all and head back from camp, pick up a few more things for overnight." Once they get back to camp, Daryl grabs another shirt from Carol with a remark of getting her some new clothes since he was stealing all of her, earning him a laugh and a kiss on the cheek. He grabs one of Rick's and Carl's too, as well as her doll and more food. Getting back to her Nest, Daryl sets everything up in her little closet then goes and catches himself dinner.

He leaves a portion of the rabbit for Sophia and goes up stairs, dragging a mattress down into the living room. Falling asleep wasn't part of the plan, and it was after dark when he finally wakes up. Hearing a growl in the other room Daryl notices two Walkers in the kitchen, one by the sink and the other pushing at the closet door. Sophia's Nest, which was locked up tight. Daryl shoots one with his crossbow and takes the other out with his knife. Moving the bodies outside the Omega was going back to the bed he'd claimed when he heard it…. A chirp.

No.

It couldn't be.

Please be her, please be her.

Daryl lets out a loud chuff and was rewarded with a happier chirp.

"Sophia?"

A heartbeat…. then two…. then….

"Mr. Dixon?"


	7. I Hear Nebraska's Nice

It was breakfast the next morning when Glenn dropped the bomb on everyone. He stands up and walks over to the tent closest to the barn, ignoring Maggie on her front porch shaking her head, silently begging him not to do this. Once he was where he wanted to be he clears his throat, hoping to draw out some of the Alpha strength he had experienced yesterday with Maggie and the Walker.

"Uh guys?" So much for that plan, Glenn's voice cracked. Once he got everyone's attention he looks at them. When his eyes catch Shane's, Glenn looks to his Alpha hoping he could help. Rick nods his support and Glenn belts it out quick before he loses his nerve, "The barns full of Walkers."

Everyone has the same reaction; still, silent, then running to the barn. Glenn watches Maggie's head fall to her hands and he sends out a silent apology before taking off after the Flock. Carol was holding Carl back from the door while Shane looked inside through a crack in the wood.

"Rick!" He bellows, walking back to the group, "You cannot tell me you're ok with this."

"I'm not."

"But you didn't feel the need to tell any of us about this either huh?"

"Glenn." Rick turns to his Packmate, "How did you find out about this?"

"Oh, for the love of-"

Snarling, Rick got real close to Shane's neck and snapped his teeth at his throat. Glenn starts whining loudly, realizing how much trouble he was in for not telling Rick first, then the group. His Alpha pulls away from Shane and goes over to him.

Glenn held nothing back, "Me and Maggie were going to do it again and she said I could pick the place. It was at that dinner after Daryl got shot, two days ago. She didn't see where we were meeting until it was too late, and I'd already seen them. I told Dale yesterday while you guys were training with the guns cause Dale's the Elder and Peacekeeper and I thought he could talk to Hershel, but then Maggie swore me to secrecy, but it was eating at me and…. I'm sorry Alpha. I'm so sorry, Rick."

A fight breaks out between everyone and Shane on whether to leave. Sophia was brought up again by Carol, who had been getting updates on the search from both Rick and Daryl. Shane turns around on the Omega and goes to town, "Alright listen I know everyone wants to think positively but I think it's time to start thinking realistically. Your daughter is dead, and they are looking for a Walker at best."

"SHANE! -"

"You're wrong!" Carl runs between the two Alphas, walkie in hand. "I put one of these in Daryl's bag before he left so we could talk to him. That's why I needed them before, we've been checking the rang on them. Daryl has Sophia with him right now."

"Then why ain't they in camp little man?"

"Sophia is presenting. She could go into heat and there are seven Alphas here. How many of them are on Suppressants?" Carl was growing a mouth on him, Rick realized. He would be maturing soon. Carl turns the radio on and starts trying to reach Daryl.

"Man, Fort Benning. It's still an option." Shane ignores the pup and turns on Rick.

"We're not leaving without Sophia." Shane throws a punch at Rick and the Alpha returns the favor. The two Packs start to separate their Alphas, ignoring the black eyes, growling and flashing teeth. Rick backs off when Glenn grabs the back of his neck and yanks, dragging him almost to the ground. Gaining his footing Rick scents Glenn in thanks and turns to Shane, who was being held back by his Mate.

"I'll talk to Hershel. Let me figure this out."

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO FIGURE OUT?! HUH?"

"If we are going to stay, if we're going to clear this barn, I have to talk him into it. THIS IS HIS LAND! And we need to stay here!"

"Why can't we just leave? Huh?!"

"Cause Sophia's not with us yet, three of our people are injured and Lori might be pregnant." The Beta woman snaps her head to Rick while the group falls silent.

"What?" Shane breathes.

"You have no right and no business telling-" Rick cuts Lori off before she could make herself the victim again. "You made it my business, and Hershel's, when you sent Glenn and Maggie into town to get you abortion pills and they got attacked. So yeah I think I do have the right."

"Glenn you weren't supposed to say anything to anyone." Lori bares her teeth at the Alpha. Glenn takes a step forward and snarls, "I don't keep stuff like that from my Alpha, without a GOOD reason. You're not even a reason to-"

"Glenn." Rick pulls the younger man back.

Everyone just stares at each other, panting. Dale finds the in he needs to make peace and goes with it, "Hershel sees those things as people- sick people- his wife, his stepson."

"And you have to convince Maggie too." Glenn steps in. "Hershel's handing Prime title to her at some point today. He'll be Elder by nightfall, but I would get them both to agree or present it to the two of them together and let them figure it out cause if we go to Maggie now, after Hershel has already said his piece on it; you could have us kicked out before noon, turning them on each other like that."

Shane does a perimeter check while he calms down, the rest of the group goes back to camp. Carl holds the walkie on the way back and tries to get a hold of Daryl.

"Daryl pick up. Is Sophia ok?" Carol was sticking close to him in case something came on the radio.

"Hey pup. She's ok, just taking the next dose of Suppressants." Carol sobs, causing the Packs to gather around.

"Carol's with me, can we talk to Sophia?"

"Hang on." Daryl made a noise on the other end and Rick takes the walkie and gives it to Carol, rubbing her shoulder.

"Just call for her, let her hear your voice."

Carol nods and takes a shaky breath. "Sophia? Baby, it's mommy. Are you ok?"

"Momma!" Sophia's sweet voice comes through and Carol breaks down, clutching the walkie to her chest and crooning into it. Sophia chirps and purrs back and Andrea and Dale help her to a seat, Carl following close by incase Daryl needs anything from them. After an hour of them comforting each other Carol addresses Daryl. "When are you bring her back?"

"Later today, once we get her heat down enough. We'll be back by dinner at the latest."

"Thank you." Carol wipes tears from her eyes while Sophia talks about Daryl showing her how to knot snares to catch rabbits. Carl just smiles and pats himself on the back for thinking about the walkies.

…..

Daryl was rubbing Sophia's back while she talked to her mom and Carl. He had spent most of last night scenting the pup and helping her build her nest up in one of the bedroom closets. They had dragged the mattress back upstairs and set up on the floor, taking all the clothing and sheets they could find and laying them just so. Building a nest wasn't something Daryl had done since his mother died but it came back to him easily.

After she finished talking to the Packs, it was almost dark. Sophia was buried under the blankets and pillows, rubbing her head against the hunter's leg, purring. Seeking comfort and body contact, as all heats demanded, Daryl let her while he soothed the cramps with a back rub.

The Suppressant had kicked in making the pup sleepy. Daryl figured he'd let her rest a bit, then it would be time to move. Sophia had been drilling Daryl for all the details and gossip around camp, and he told her what he knew. It was calm, peaceful. Of course, it had to be ruined.

The sounds of men laughing was near silent, meaning they were miles away. It still sent the older Omega into defensive mode. Looking at the little pup, Daryl gently moves her head to the side and stands up. Moving around the room, he starts to throw all the clothes he could from the nest into some duffle bag they found in the closet.

"Mr. Dixson?" Sophia mewled "What's going on?"

"Time to head to camp. Going to see your mama. And the others." Sophia perks up and helps pack up the nest, leaving nothing but the mattress. Daryl grabs a second bag and throws all the food in the kitchen and medicine from the bathroom into it. Helping Sophia stand up and walk outside he rubs them both down with Scent Dampener to hide their smell if the men came this way. Daryl throws both bags over his chest and lifts Sophia onto his back, the little pup already out like a light.

The walk back to camp was quiet and Walker free. Breaking the tree line, Daryl almost expected the group to be waiting for them. Instead, he found Shane handing out guns and leading the Flock to the barn; all the Packs including Hershel's. Glenn had told Daryl and Sophia about the barn already on the walkies, he knew they were going to clean out the Walkers. Cursing, the Omega moves Sophia to the RV and lays her down on the pull-out bed still opened. Placing the bags down as well he shakes the pup awake.

"Make your nest and stay here. They're cleaning out the barn of Walkers and you can't go running off. Promise me. Make your nest, stay inside, and it will all be over soon. Then your mom and you will spend however long you want scenting each other and sleeping. Ok?"

"Ok Daryl." Sophia scents the hunter lightly and the Omega lays his winged jacket over her shoulders, the teeth marks branding it forever.

Sophia had taken the jacket back on the highway, claiming to be cold. It had saved her on her way back. The hole under the tree Rick had left her under hadn't been as Walker free as they had hoped, and one had bitten down on her left shoulder. It couldn't bite through the jean and leather though it had left an indent. Sophia had run the first chance she got and had gotten lost until she found the farm house. Every day she wandered a little, trying to find them. Until Daryl had found her. She had hugged him and refuse to let go, telling him he had saved her, his wings were magic. Daryl would forever be grateful to Merle for leaving that jacket with him.

Gunshots had Daryl on his feet in seconds, looking out the window. Rick and Hershel were holding Walkers on poles, trying to lead them to the barn. Shane and the Packs surrounded them, the mad Alpha shooting the one Hershel was holding. Daryl was out the door, locking it so Sophia didn't bolt, and sprinting down the yard as the female Walker went down with a head shot, ignoring the pain from his wound.

"-enough looking for a pup that's gone! Enough living by Walkers! Enough-"

Daryl slams into Shane knocking the Alpha onto his side. The others stay out of the way as Shane gets back up and bares his teeth at the Beta bitch that had attacked him. How dare it come between him and the Packs- his Packs that Rick had stolen from him and Hershel refused to hand over to him. Sizing him up, Shane goes for the arrow wound, knowing it would cripple him. The redneck Beta goes down with a yelp and then the other Beta and wanna be Alpha were there, pushing Shane away and baring teeth with black eyes. They wait for Rick's signal as their Alpha to deal with the threat. Daryl stayed on the ground, holding his side that was bleeding again until Carol helps him up.

"This ends right here, right now!" Shane runs to the barn door and starts tearing away the locks and chains. Rick screams at Hershel to take the snare pole holding the second Walker, but the Elder refuses to move. Maggie holds her father and makes sure her Pack was behind her, as was Carl who was clinging with Carol behind all of them.

Shane takes a few steps back and pulls out his gun, shooting the Walkers as they come out, Andrea right next to him. Glenn and T-Dog wait for Maggie's sobbing head nod to join, and consent from Rick before they start pulling the trigger. Daryl gets a nod from both as well and joins them, Glenn handing him a rifle. Shane turns around and shoots the Walker Rick holds, the look in his eyes making it clear he was challenging Rick as the Prime Alpha. Rick stays behind them, refusing to join in the slaughter. Once the last one goes down, Shane looks at Rick, awaiting the Alpha's decision. The barn door moves again, and everyone gets ready.

Small light up sneakers trip over the Walkers on the ground, white socks with yellow flowers stained a reddish brown with dried blood. Khaki shorts covered in dirt. A green shirt with a rainbow and faded Care Bears on it, the side ripped opened showing the nasty bite underneath. Shortish blonde hair in a messy and barely held together braid, the butterfly clip holding back the little girl's bangs.

It wasn't a girl any of them had known but the resemblance to Sophia was astonishing; the two might have been sisters if not twins. It hit them too close to home.

"Sophia?" Carol was walking fast towards the Walker to get a closer look. Daryl pulls her back, down to the ground with him and croons low in her ear. "It's not her. Sophia's safe in the RV. I promise."

Rick, who hadn't shot any of the Walkers that had come out took it upon himself to kill this one. Daryl helps Carol to her feet, dragging her and Carl away to the RV. These two, crying, followed. They needed to see Sophia was alive and well, right that second. Daryl unlocks the RV door and pushes them inside, closing it behind him. Sophia was on the bed, more clothes and sheets wrapped around her. She must have raided the laundry. Carol was sobbing, waiting.

Sophia lifts her head. "Mama? Carl? Why are you crying?"

Carol throws herself at her pup, crooning through her tears. Sophia purrs, letting out a few of her own as the warmth of her mother seeps into her. Carl joins them on the other side and curls an arm around Sophia's waist, letting his face fall into her hair and scenting her. Carol pulls both of them to her moving them towards the wall in an instinctual act of protection of pups. Daryl watches from the door, keeping one eye on them and another on the Packs; Rick was making Shane the Gamma in front of them all.

…

The group watches as Daryl drags the sobbing Omega and pup to the RV, no one was saying anything. They watch Hershel's Pack- Maggie's Pack, break down over everyone that had been in the barn. Beth pulls away from Jimmy, her Alpha to be, and go to the pile of Walkers. Rick tries to hold her back, knowing it wasn't safe yet, but she pulls away and keeps going. She stops at one of the Walkers, her mother, and pushes another Walker off her. Pulling the Walker's head into her lap she sobs.

The Walker growls and grabs her head, refusing to let go. She starts screaming and Rick's Pack moves, Rick dragging her back to Maggie as Glenn holds the Walter's arms, drawing its attention. T-Dog kicks its head and shoulders to get it off Beth completely. Andrea grabs a sickle and stabs the brain.

Hershel and his family leave, trying to calm Beth down. Shane pushes the whole time, trying to understand why they would put the Walkers in the barn and how. When he grabs at Hershel, Maggie smacks him in the face, leaving three bloody claw like marks on his cheek.

"Don't touch him." she snarls, "Haven't you done enough?"

"I want you off my land. Now." The Greene's follow Hershel into the house, Glenn flashes teeth and black eyes at Shane before trying to follow. Maggie stops him, both standing at the door. Maggie wanted justice, Rick could see that. Shane had crossed a line, now he would deal with the Prime. Shane had been warned before.

Rick grabs Shane by the skin on the back of his neck and threw him off the porch to the ground. Shane got back up to his knees before Rick was standing over him. Pushing the man back to his hands, Rick sat on the other Alpha, making sure not to put his full weight down. Rick kept his teeth bare and growled anytime Shane moved, proving his place above Shane. Making the Alpha into a Gamma would sever all Pack bounds except Shane's link to Rick.

When Shane realized what Rick was doing he bucked up, attempting to throw the Alpha off. Rick reaches down and bites Shane's scruff, immobilizing him. Rick stays on the same spot until he deems it enough time. Then, without letting go with his teeth, he moves off allowing Maggie to assert her dominance as well. She sits on his back and pushes down, making Shane and Rick lower to their stomachs to hold their positions, taking dominance from both of them. She scratches at Shane's glands, causing a chain reaction of snarls from him and Rick. When she deems herself Alpha enough, she returns to stand by the door.

Rick beckons Glenn over, who sits down once they make it back up to their knees who also scratches at the glands, right next to Maggie's. When he finishes Glenn doesn't return to Maggie's side but goes to get the three from the RV. T-Dog takes his turn, then they wait. When no one else comes to claim position over the new Gamma, Rick bites harder and release his pheromones along with everyone else's into the glands, forcing them to take everyone's scents. As the smell of Alpha disappears from Shane, his body relaxes. He whines and laps at Rick's arm to release him and when his Prime makes no move to do so, he reacts in violence. Twisting to break Rick's hold, the Prime holds tight and pushes the man down, moving back over him to cover him head to toe. Snarling and growling for the Gamma to give up, Shane lets the tension bleed from him. They wait until Glenn comes back with Carol and Carl. The others gather around the Omega woman, listening to the news about Sophia. Glenn ushers Carl over to where his father was holding down Shane, the pup looking in confusion, then recognition.

Pups that hadn't matured weren't allowed to claim dominance over matured Pack members because it was an instinct to harm anyone who forced a claim over you. Any pup that tried could be critically harmed or killed. If Carl claimed dominance over Shane, he COULD have a target on his back from the Gamma, but if he didn't, Shane would go after Carl to get back at Rick. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. When Daryl looks at Rick, a silent question in the Alpha's eye, Daryl shakes his head. The Omega could claim his dominance over the new Gamma later.

Carl kneels across from his dad, looking determined. Daryl stands over him, watching. Rick looks to him, pleading him to understand. With a single nod he knows Daryl understands why he's doing this. Shane looks at Carl as if the pup was his; that would protect him from the backlash to a certain degree. The claim would fill in those blank areas. This way Shane wouldn't ever be able to harm the pup. Carl waits for Rick to move off Shane before he reaches over to brace himself on the Gamma's shoulder, Rick helping by forcing the man lower. Shane keeps his eyes closed as Rick's heir takes his place, the boys nails scraping the Gamma's glands. Shane bucks once to dislodge him, but a second pair of teeth; small, needle like, puppy teeth, holds him. Rick backs away a little, watching his son dominate his god father with despair. Carl was too young, but Rick also burned with a guilty pride. His pup, his heir that would inherit the Flock once he came of age and Rick passed it down to him, was strong and fearless when it came to the living. Carl got down from Shane's back, but tilts his head in confusion. Rick goes to stop him, but Carl was already pumping pheromones into Shane's system. The Gamma goes limp, his head held up by Carl's teeth alone. Whining to be released, Shane laps at Carl's arm, the same way he had with Rick. The Prime tense, snarling with his teeth at the Gamma, praying he didn't twist away. Carl bites harder with a growl, and Shane stops. After a beat of silence, the pup releases Shane, backing away with his head high but still guarding his throat. An instinctual Alpha move to gage his Pack's mood. Carl was looking more and more like an Alpha each day and Rick wondered if he was always going to be one, or if the world was changing him into one to survive.

Shane gets to his feet but keeps his head down. "I'm sorry."

Maggie nods and heads inside with a touch to Glenn's arm. The Alpha pats her hand then lets her go in without him, wanting to see how this new ranking would fall out. Daryl pats Carl on the shoulder and lets him go back to Carol. Then he walks up to his Alpha and the new Gamma. Shane took a small step back, behind Rick with his head down. The Omega could smell the Packs on him but only the Packs. Gamma's had no scent, yet they smelled the strongest. Shane no longer smelled of gun polish and wet grass; of a catnip kind of crazy. He smelled of the others and nothing else. He would be dealing with withdrawal of smell, hearing and sight; his sense becoming like that of a Beta as the pheromones pumping through his system, caused his glands to deteriorate a little. Like your lungs do when you smoke, or your liver when you drink. They would have to watch him because Rick and Carl had both claimed him for the Packs. So many hormones in his glands could make him more dangerous.

He would be feel the breaking of his Mating bond with Lori and the bond of his pup within her as well. Gammas couldn't Mate without a strong connection or hormone therapy, like Betas did. Lori as his Mate was never a strong bond to him, so he would feel himself lose her as well. The man's world was crumbling down on him. Daryl almost felt sorry for him. Andrea on the other hand, was pissed.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" She turns on Rick, "Do you not understand what you have done? All of us that were with him are Pack-less now thanks to you."

"You could join his Pack, or Maggie's." Daryl grunts. He turns to Rick, "Sophia's in the RV. She's nervous about coming out right now though. We got here while Shane was passing out guns, then she saw the barn shooting and the little girl. She needs to stay in there right now with her mama."

"Why don't you let us see her? Make sure she's ok?" Shane pipes up with a glance at Rick.

"No Alphas, no Betas. Right now I only want me, Carl and her mother to have access. At least until the Suppressants calm her down." Daryl says.

"Wait, so no Alphas or Betas can see her, but you can? What does that make you again, exactly? What Suppressants do you have her on? All our medicine was confiscated by Hershel. What… did you have to drug her to get her to come back here with you cause you're nothing but a-" Daryl lunges at the blonde Beta, but Rick catches him and holds him back.

"SHE'S IN HEAT AND THEY'RE MY SUPPRESSANTS!" Daryl bellows, drawing the attention of everyone in the camp as well as the farm house. Maggie and Patricia come out to see what the fighting was about. Rick lets go of Daryl before he can shove him off but stands between him and Andrea. Daryl digs into his pocket and pulls out a pill bottle. Tossing it to the Beta, he demands she read the label out to everyone.

"Super Strength Omega Heat Suppressants- 1600mg take once a day with food during heat to reduce effects. Prescribed to Daryl Dixon. Payed for by Merle Dixon. Next Refill Jan. 1st, 2011. That's this next January." Andrea turns wide eyes at Daryl, as well as everyone else that didn't know. The archer has never acted like an Omega; most thought he was an Alpha using Suppressants to claim Beta status to stay with the Packs without causing tension because of the number of Alphas there already. Those that did know were gaging the Omegas reactions, looking for a tell of his emotional state. Daryl, the Traditional wary Omega, had just outed himself to two Traditional Packs.

"I'm sorry I- I didn't know." Andrea stutters, "If I had I wouldn't of-"

"Wouldn't what?" Daryl snaps, marching up to her and taking the bottle from her. He shook it in her face. "Hershel lets me keep these because I'm an Omega and they're prescribed to me. We have to measure it out differently, cut them up, for anyone else to take them. Sophia's was taking over the counter ones, but those only help so much. Right now, she's only taken a fourth of a pill and it's knocking her ass to sleep. I had them on me while I was looking for her in case I found her in heat, which I did."

Daryl pockets the pills with a growl, "What? Now that you know I can be bred, suddenly I different? Gonna make me wash clothes with Carol and Lori? Gonna treat me special cause I can pop out kids now? FUCK YOU!" Rick pulls Daryl away from the Beta he had crowded into the porch fence.

"Enough!" Rick moves the enraged Omega away and sets him down. He waits until Daryl looks him in the eye before addressing him, "Sophia's safe in the RV?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Here's what I want you to do." Rick turns to face him, blocking the sight of the others from Daryl so he'll only focus on Rick. "Either go stay with Sophia, make sure she's got everything she needs, or go find something to calm yourself down. We have an Omega in heat, an Omega that's in over protection mode so even if someone tried to approach Sophia Carol would chase them away, and Beth is in distress after the barn. They're all looking at you to be their rock, the calm Omega, the Theta. You break and what's going to happen to them?"

Daryl looks back to the RV, the tension draining from him. Rick keeps going while he has everyone's attention. "Take your bow; go hunting. The woods calm you down, the hunting will give you something to focus on. I bet Sophia will be looking forward to eating a warm meal. Squirrel or opossum, she likes that."

"You're still gonna let me hunt?" Daryl huffs, hiding how nervous he was at the answer, "Everyone knows now."

"I don't think it's safe for him to be out there."

"I agree with Dale, if he's an Omega then-"

"IT'S NOT YOUR CALL!" Rick snarls at Dale and Andrea, "You had no problem letting him hunt when you thought he was a Beta, you damn well better not have a problem with it now. It's my Pack, I'm the Prime. You both made your feelings about my leadership known, now back off."

Turning back to the Omega, Rick calms his voice, not wanting to antagonize the hunter but also not wanting him to think Rick was pacifying him either. "I can't make you do or not do anything. I'm your Alpha, not your jailer."

"Ok. I'll go hunt."

"Ok. I want you to take the walkie and some extra batteries. If you haven't calmed down by nightfall, you can camp out in the house you found Sophia. Just check in with us; I want you back in camp or in the other house before dark. Don't risk yourself; we just got Sophia back, we don't need to lose you too." Rick clasps Daryl on the shoulder once he agrees to the Prime's terms, sending him off with a good luck. Daryl was happy Rick was treating him the same as before.

Glenn follows the hunter, having Daryl list off anything he thought Sophia might need if they made another run into town soon.

"Why the hell are you asking me?"

"Cause you're the Theta." Glenn shrugged like it was obvious.

Shane watches the Omega walk away. Dixon was an Omega, an UNCLAIMED Omega. The Gamma licks his lips and lets his eyes follow the hunter with a new light, a new hunger. There had been an Omega for him to own in the Packs the whole time, but he had taken a claimed Beta who had been pupped by another Alpha's. Daryl being unclaimed, and not a Breeder, means the Omega hadn't been taken before. A virgin Omega, and he was passed the age for Shane to NOT be considered a pedophile when he takes him. Shane licks his lips again, before following the others to clean up around the barn. The Omega would give him strong pups, and a strong Mate. He would have to bid his time, but soon….

….

While Daryl was hunting, the Packs cleaned up the Walkers. Maggie had helped them out by pointing out which ones were their loved ones, and which were just Walkers that had been found before heading back inside. Shane waits for someone to tell him what to do, his new ranking not allowing him to do much else. When Rick sends him to get the truck to move the other Walker bodies, the Gamma sprints away so everyone doesn't see him finally break. His best friend, his brother, had Gamified him. They start digging two graves for Shawn and Annette, pilling the others up to burn. Lori stood over the others, watching as they dig the holes. Glenn was inside with the Greene's, trying to reason with Maggie about staying a little longer. T-Dog stops digging and watches her, the others stopping at the exchange as well. Getting out of the hole, T-Dog thrusts the shovel in her hands and pushes her towards the graves. "Either help dig or make yourself useful somewhere else. I tired of your higher than us attitude. Choose."

Lori drops the shovel with a scowl, wiping her hands on her jeans like she had touched something nasty, "I'm pregnant, I can't be doing manual labor and shit."

"Bullshit." T-Dog scowls, "I'm still recovering from blood poisoning, Shane's adjusting to Gamma status and his glands changing, Maggie identified the bodies and Jimmy's out here digging and it's their family we're burying. Find another excuse or leave. I ain't working if you're just going to stare at me."

Lori left them to their work and heads over to the RV, going to check on Sophia and Carol. When the Beta went to open the door, the lock caught on the rim. Banging on the door, she waits for Carol to open it for her. The older Omega lifts the screen on the window to see who was outside and huffs slightly when she sees the Beta.

"How's she doing?" Lori asks.

"Fine, just fine. If you see Daryl tell him I want to thank him for the heat kit he got her. It's been helpful."

"Open the door? I want to see her."

"No."

"What? No? I just want to see her, make sure she's alright."

"She's in heat Lori." Carol sighs, "She'll be fine. But I don't want anyone in here right now." The woman closes the window before Lori could make a remark, leaving the Beta woman unsure as to what she was supposed to do now.

…

Beth had collapsed from the shock of the barn and Hershel was nowhere to be found. Maggie was in full control of the Greene Pack, so she let the others in to help. Glenn never strayed too far from the other Alpha's side, which Rick found almost cute. The little Alpha had a crush on the farmer's daughter. Rick pulls Maggie off to the side while Glenn goes to get the truck, the two were heading into town to grab Hershel from the old tavern after they found his flask on his dresser.

"I hope you understand what's going to happen." He tells the new Prime.

"What do you mean?"

"Glenn. Your dad wants us gone, if he leaves he can't court you and I know he does." Rick chuckles, "It's kind of obvious, his intentions for you. But if ya'll decide to go through with it, he'll either have to leave my Pack to stay here, or the two have to join together. I want you to talk to Glenn, and Hershel, and decide. The faster you do that, the less it will hurt if you have to tell him goodbye."

He pats her on the shoulder and heads out. Glenn and Rick make it to the town, talking about Glenn's family and Maggie. After what Rick had said to her, Maggie had followed them outside and kissed Glenn, telling him she loved him. Glenn had panicked and didn't say it back.

"I've never had someone say that to me before ya know? Except my dad, but she's my dad. And my papa. My brother and sisters would say it sometimes too, but…. With Maggie it's different."

They make it to the bar and find Hershel before it gets dark. It takes the Alphas a while to come to an agreement and make their way outside. Close to the door, it swings open and two Betas walk in, guns ready. Rick shoves Hershel and Glenn behind him, one hand on his own gun, ready to protect his Flock.

"Well I'll be damned. They're alive." The skinnier one breathes. Rick removes his hand from his gun once the others holsters their pistols and the bigger one shoulders the rifle. Glenn and Hershel move back to the bar and Rick allows them to pass him to sit down. Glenn pours the two a drink while they talk about their trip from Philadelphia and had joined up with a Herd. Rick lets Glenn and Hershel talk to them, saying something only when it seemed that the others were digging. Rick could tell they were fishing for information about them, their group, and the area because they kept looking at each other. They were watching how Rick's group was reacting to questions and digging when they seemed uncomfortable. When the two Betas, Tony and Dave, started asking about the members of the group, Glenn and Hershel stopped entertaining them, looking to Rick as the Prime for help.

"So…. you guys held up somewhere? A farm?" Dave asked. Rick watched as the man tensed only his hand around his gun, the rest of him relaxed. This was someone who was used to getting answers through threats, holding people at gunpoint to get them to talk. These men couldn't come to the farm, not when they had pups, Omegas, and an unstable Gamma. The Betas Pack would outnumber Rick's Flock three to one, and it was only Alphas and Betas.

"So, what do you guys have? Alphas, obviously. Betas?" Tony waits a second, the fatter Beta had just relieved himself on the wall like a wolf claiming territory.

"Omegas?" Dave laughs breathless, licking his lips and sending his Packmate a fanged smile. Rick let out a rumble and sent his pheromones out, the pure Alpha scent mixed his displeasure had the two Betas, shivering and Baring their necks until they could get a grip. Glenn and Hershel felt only comfort and reassurance. The two Alphas relaxed, Rick would take care of them.

"So that's a yes." Dave bites his lip. "They claimed?"

"Enough." Rick stands up, sending the two Betas scrambling back. "We're done here."

"Hey, come on, Rick. Let us join up with you and yours. Me and my Pack, we'll pull our own weight. Make it worth it." Dave tries to save face.

"No." Dave's smile drops. "You're not allowed on our land. You and your's will have to move on."

Dave sighs and looks at Tony, who gives the barest of nods. "I'm sorry we couldn't come to an agreement then. But see…. We need what you have."

Rick shoots both of them, headshots and two to the chest, before either of them could aim their own guns, getting a little blood on his face. Glenn comes over with a wet rag, smelling of cheap beer and mildew, and wipes it away from his Alpha's face. He purrs at Rick and scents him lightly, happy his Prime had saved the Flock, even at the cost of two lives. Human lives.

Rick looked at Hershel, praying for him to understand why he did what he did. He seemed shocked, scared of Rick for shooting those two, even in self-defense. But he nodded; he understood it was necessary to keep his girls and the others safe.


	8. 18 Miles Out

Rick and the others didn't get back until the next day, in the early afternoon. Carl runs up to his dad and throws his arms around him. Rick swings him up into his arms, scenting and being scented in return. The Flock gathers around as the other two Alphas get out of the car, the silhouette of extra body could be seen out of the window. Maggie runs past her father to Glenn, hugging him tight and scenting his neck. Glenn rubs his hand up and down her back, walking her away from the car. He scents her once he deems it enough of a distance.

"Is everyone okay? Is everyone here?" Rick throws his arm around T-Dog's shoulders, scenting him as well. Daryl comes outside, clean and in fresh clothes. Rick offers him his hand and he comes down, clasping it in a firm handshake.

"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog points to the car.

"Randel." Glenn answers, "His Pack attacked us, he jumped off a roof and impaled his leg on a metal fence. Hershel tried to save him, but a Walker herd came through. Rick pulled him off the fence and we came back."

"You brought him here?!" Andrea exclaims, "We have Omegas and pups here and you brought an unknown… You thought you'd bring him here?!"

"What were we supposed to do? Let him bleed out on a fence, surround by Walkers?" Rick growls at her. Andrea was becoming a problem, even more now with Shane no longer as her Alpha.

"What do we do with him now?" Carol asked. Rick looked over to the RV, the door was open.

"Sophia came out of her Heat this morning." Daryl grunts. "Carol, Carl and I stayed with her last night. She's taking a shower, been asking for ya."

Rick nods, patting Daryl on the shoulder. Daryl scents him hand before moving out from under it. He starts pacing, eyes never leaving the boy inside. He was on guard, nervous, like he had been the first time Rick had met the Omega; back when he had to tell him about Merle. Merle. When was the last time he'd thought of the Beta; his first Packmate after the world became the dead's? When had Daryl last said something about him?

"Why is he here? Alpha?" Shane speaks quiet, eyes lowered, pulling Rick from thought. "What are we going' to do with 'im?" The Packs had moved inside the farmhouse and were gathered around the dining table. The three Alphas had explained everything that happened, and why they were so late getting back.

"I fix his legs as best I can." Hershel says from the door. "He'll be out for hours."

"What happens when his Pack comes looking?" Shane pushes, meeting Rick's eyes, "What then?"

Rick rumbles in warning, cause Shane to lower them again, "His Pack is made up of Traditional Alphas and Betas. They left him for dead, skewered on a fence as Walker bait while they made their getaway; no one's gonna come lookin'. We give him water, take him to the main road and send him on his way."

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the Walkers?" Andrea scowls.

"He'll have a fighting chance." Rick counters.

"He knows where we are." Shane raises his voice.

"He was blindfolded the whole way." Glenn steps in, "He's not a threat."

"Not a threat?" Shane laughs, "How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, and took one hostage and you think they ain't gonna come lookin' for 'im?"

"They left him for dead!" Rick flashes his teeth at the Gamma, sending him to his knees, "No one will come looking."

"A guard?" T-Dog suggest, getting a look from his Prime, "If it will make people feel safe, we set up a watchman. Keep an eye on the area."

"We'll look at this, folks," Shane gets back to his feet, shakily, "we're back in fantasy land."

Hershel steps in this time, getting in the Gamma's face, "We still haven't talked about what you did to my barn. This is still my Pack's land, not yours. I wanted you gone, and my daughter did too. Glenn and Rick talked us out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Do all of us a favor and keep your mouth SHUT." He growls out the last word, causing a shiver to go up everyone's spines, even Rick's. This was an Alpha who had been in charge a long time; his words were powerful and had impact. Shane nods with a scuff, walking back to the campsite.

"Look, right now we're going to take this one step at a time." Rick tells the gathered Flock, "Hershel will fix his leg and we go from there."

Maggie pulls Glenn of to the side to talk about what had happened that they had left out. She could tell because of the way Rick and Glenn would exchange glances. While he told her of hiding and failing his Alpha, Maggie thought better of mentioning the conversation with Rick before they left. She prays that she never has to say goodbye to this kind Alpha; not until they're old and grey, matching Mating Marks fading together in their sleep, hand in hand.

"Rick." Lori comes up to the Alpha as he was talking to Daryl about what had happened while the three Alphas were gone. Beth still comatose; Lori trying to go after them and Shane stopping her by locking her in one of the spare rooms in the house; Daryl coming back before dark and staying close to Maggie or the RV and the almost fight he got into with Andrea while he was skinning dinner, broken up by Dale.

Rick ignores the Beta, who waits fuming, until Daryl had said his peace and left to get Sophia, who had yet to stop asking about Rick. Sighing Rick turns to his ex-Mate, "What?"

"We need to talk about Shane."

"What's he done now?" Rick walks towards the barn, where others were cleaning up, forcing Lori to follow if she wanted to talk.

"He's delusional and dangerous. When I went to go get you guys, he told me you had taken one of the guest rooms and all the keys were in there. Then he locked the door. He wouldn't let me out until dinner, and then he followed me the whole time, hovering…. You saw what he did at the barn." Lori got in front of Rick, hopping this would get his attention, or at least stop him from walking away from her.

"He's threatened Dale, and Hershel. He's scaring people, and me." She wraps her arms around her stomach, the action of a mother protecting her child. She knew it would work; it had before when she was having Carl and wanted Rick's family to be distant. Rick saw the action and swallowed, he knew what the action was, and how she was expecting him to react.

"I think," She breathes shakily and whispers, "I think he killed Otis; sacrificed him to get away with the supplies."

"Did Dale or Hershel tell you this? Or are you..." Rick looks back at camp, where Shane was showing Carl knots with a piece of rope, and Daryl was making his way to then, dragged along by a little Omega with a blonde French braid and a bright smile. Sophia.

"Shane thinks you can't protect us as our Alpha; that you're going to get us killed." Rick looks at the Beta, "You told us earlier that you killed those men to protect what's your's; your son, your Pack. Shane's dangerous and he won't stop. His Alpha instincts rule him even as a Gamma. He's a threat; you need to do what you can to protect what's your's."

"Like kill him? Kill my brother, the one YOU turned against me, trying to play us against each other?" Lori swallows and tries to backtrack. Rick cuts her off with a rumble. "I'll talk to the others; if the Flock thinks he's a danger…. Then I'll deal with him."

Rick walks away from the Beta, from the barn, and heads towards the little girl in the leather and jean jacket, flying towards him with an angel's wings on her back. Daryl watches his Alpha swing the little girl into his arms with a smile, the new Omega buries her nose into his neck, scenting her new Alpha. Rick scents her back and walks her towards the Theta, Daryl's eyes never leaving the satisfied smirk on the pregnant Betas face. He'd watch her, Daryl thinks, He wouldn't fall for the woman's games.

….

Rick took Shane with him when they go to drop off Randel the next morning, to give the Flock a break from the Gamma. He had settled into his rank, and his hormones were balanced again, making it dangerous to leave him unattended. Him and Glenn had been taking turns watching him, not letting him out of their sight in case something happened for almost two weeks now. Glenn took this morning's shift, now it was Rick's turn. They went out to the main road, a crossroad, and were ready to let Randel, a young Beta, go.

It was the farthest Rick had been from his Pack since it formed. The two new bonds pulsed in his head, usually non-existent when right next to them. He would feel a small tug when Daryl went hunting, but until the Omega scented him properly, and allowed Rick to do the same, their bond would never grow past that, like Merle's. Glenn's was the strongest, a steady heartbeat echoed in his brain. He could smell his emotions through their bond; something he was told no other Alpha could do. He could smell Shane's old Alpha scent, dormant in his glands. It was only times like this, when he did nothing but focusing on his nose that he could accomplish this level of scenting. Glenn was with Maggie, and Rick quickly focused on something else as spikes in the beating became faster. T-Dog was working with Dale, steady beats and boredom with slight interest and fondness. Carl was playing with Sophia; tag if the fast heartbeats and smell of excitement were correct. Carol was watching them, calm beats and joy and love thick. The two Omegas had joined the Pack properly after Sophia's Heat. Rick had scented them in the RV, away from the others, then they went and got scented by the others. The two smell strongest of Daryl, because he has spent the most time with them.

"I thought we were going further?" Shane asks.

"We are. 18 miles out."

"Then why are we stopping?" Shane growls. Rick turns around and pushes the Gamma to his knees.

"I was nice the last time. If I have to do it again, it will be done the Traditional way instead of the New-School way, do I make myself clear?" Shane whines and bares his neck. Rick leans down and scents him, allowing his own pheromones to mingle with Shane's. The Gamma could tell his Alpha was angry, because he didn't smell like comfort, the way he usually does. He smelled like the summer wind before a thunderstorm; like danger, a fierce wind and unforgiving cold that sank into his bones. But also comfort, like the smell of rain hitting dirt while you curled up in front of the fireplace, the thunder like a heartbeat, a soothing lullaby to rock you to sleep.

It was confusing and so…. Rick. Shane whines again, and the Prime helps him to his feet without looking at him.

"We need to talk." Rick sighs. "I've heard rumors about you. That you killed Otis; threatened Dale and Hershel, and yes, I've spoken to both and no Dale was not the one who told me about it. But it made me very curious as to why Dale seemed so scared of you that he tried to make me promise not to tell you. Even went as far as threatened to take the RV and leave if I couldn't promise to protect him against you. Mind filling me in? And handing over the gun you're white knuckling."

Shane passes his gun over to his Alpha, who swung it over his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting like a parent would while Shane gathered his words together. "It was him or me. One shot to the leg and Carl lives. I didn't hesitate."

"But you think I would?"

"I know you would man." Shane spits at the ground near the car, even turning so his Alpha wouldn't think he was being disrespectful. "You don't have it in ya to be that mean."

"You think I'm going to lead this Flock to their deaths? Heard a bit of that too. That I can't protect Carl?" Shane backs up quick, hands spread in submission.

"I didn't say that! Not about Carl."

"But yes, to everything else." Rick gets closer, Shane averts his eyes. "Lori says you're a danger to the Pack. Not anymore. Not to the others, not to me, not anymore. How about you look at me." Rick growls, using his Alpha voice, something he hasn't done to Shane, ever.

"When everything started," Shane swallows, "It was just stories on the news. Then it was everywhere, happening so quick…. Two weeks go by and I'm with you in the hospital. Lori refused to bring Carl back after that first day, but I kept going before our shift ya know…. I wanted to be there when you woke up, I wanted to see my Alpha when he first woke up. Then one day I was there and man…." Shane sniffled, and Rick wiped some tears from his brother's eyes, "There was soldiers, shooting people in the halls. People, Rick, not Walkers. But then the Walkers came too and…. I tried to get you out, I did. But all those tubes and the machines went dead, and I couldn't hear a heartbeat. I couldn't carry your corpse out of there man, I couldn't. I closed the door up as tight as could, put a gurney in front of the door…. Tried to keep them out of the room as best I could. Then I left, before the Walkers or the soldiers could get me. I got to Lori and Carl and we left as soon as we could, heading to Atlanta."

"You put the gurney in front of my door?" Rick whispers, resting his forehead against Shane's.

"Figured they'd be too dumb to move it ya know? One last barrier between you and death. I couldn't stop you from being shot, but I could stop that." Shane's laugh was a poor cover for his sobs. The two men wrap their arms around each other and stay there until they calm down. No matter what happened, or would happen, Shane was still that little boy who had sat next to Rick on the bus so many years ago and claimed to be his Alpha to get away from little Roseanne. They still laugh about that day they became brothers, and Rick still teased Shane about the fact that Roseanne had grown up to be a beautiful Traditional/New-School Omega, who became a therapist and had married and Mated a Traditional Alpha cop from Atlanta. She would have been Shane's perfect match.

"Let's get going." Rick smiles, and the two of them pile into the car, Randel still tied up in the trunk.

Randel knew about the farm. He had gone to school with Maggie, even though the Alpha didn't remember him, meaning he also knew about the Greene's farm and where it was. To let him go as they had planned had ended in disaster. Shane had pulled a gun on the Beta as soon as he confirmed he knew the farm, Rick had knocked it from his hands, causing the bullet to hit the kids leg instead of his head. The two growl and attack, ripping bleeding gashes in each other, Rick comes out on top with a bruised jaw and a cut over his eye. Shane bleeds from a cut on his cheek that fills his mouth with blood, along with two missing teeth and a broken nose. Shane throws a wrench at the Alpha, with enough force to decapitate him. Rick realizes in that moment that Shane would kill him if he thought that would put him on top. The wrench goes through the window and Rick kills the first Walker that comes through, then drags it on top of him as the rest of the small herd give chance to Shane.

He gathers up Randel and Shane and they leave. Shane stays quiet and helps load the Beta in the back, then gets in the passenger side, staring out the window as Rick drives them back to the farm. The Flock gathers around the car as they pull up. Daryl comes up from behind, growling, something that shall forever fascinate Rick, "What the hell is he still doing in there?!"

"You guys didn't let him go?"

"I thought the plan was-"

"-There better be a damn good explanation for-"

"QUIET!" Rick roars. The group shuts up, glaring at the car. Some shoot those glares at Rick too.

"Why's he still in there?!" Daryl gets in Rick's face before he pushes past him, pacing.

"He knew about the farm." No one moved, no one breathed, "He named Maggie, Hershel, Beth and Shawn by name. Said he went to school with Maggie. He knew where he was and letting him go was more dangerous than having him here, locked up."

"How?" Andrea spat.

"He could lead his Pack to us if he found them. Traditional Alphas and Betas, all males, that outnumbers us three to one. I made a decision for the good of the Pack and I'm not taking it back." The others nod in agreement. Shane gets out and slams the door, earning a few looks at his busted-up face and slight limp. Rick might've stood on Shane's ankle while hitting him; it was most likely a sprain, if not broken. He shrugged it off; not his fault.

"What the hell?" Andrea and Lori crowd the Gamma, helping him walk and fussing over his injuries. Rick growled at them, getting louder and louder until they stepped away.

"We had a disagreement." Rick rumbles. The two Betas round on the Prime like they were going to yell at him, but Daryl shut all of them up by throwing Randel down in front of them. He rips the bag over his head away and the headphones out of his ears, leaving the whimpering Beta staring at the Flock in full for the first time. Rick hadn't even known the Theta had moved, the Omega that was kneeling right in front of the downed Beta with a crossbow leveled with his eye.

"Daryl hold your fire but keep it on him." Rick says, coming up behind the archer and laying his hand on the back of his neck, squeezing lightly. Daryl rumbles in response but leans into it as he pulls away.

"So, what now Rick? Huh? We make him a nice bed, bring him some coco?!" Shane growls. The Gamma wouldn't learn, and Rick's fuse might be long, but right then was when it burned out as far as Shane was concerned. The Prime storms back over at him and drives his elbow into the already broken nose, making the man fall to his back, howling. Rick grabs him by the collar of his shirt and drags him up enough to choke him out.

As Shane claws at the Alpha's arm, Daryl watches as the fight drains from him, along with his consciousness. Rick was rumbling the whole time, flexing his arm to get a better grip and block the Gamma's airway faster. For some reason, Daryl felt satisfied. Felt it deep in his bones, a slight tingle down his spine at the display of power. He sees Carol shift too, a flush coming out on her cheeks. Maggie and Glenn both piped up in interest, even the Betas seemed pleased. Lori and Andrea flush as well, watching Shane fall to the ground, knocked out, and Rick standing tall as the victor. Daryl chalks it up to the Pack being pleased by their Prime's strength, though he might go to Carol later to double check. She was a fellow Omega who had been a part of Packs before, maybe she could help him with this.

Rick directs Dale and T-Dog to take Shane to the barn and tie him up, sending Maggie with them to drug Shane with sedatives and Suppressants. Shane had pushed Rick too far on their journey and now the Prime was Disowning him, he would be Dismissed from the Pack soon. Daryl was instructed to take Randel to the shed he had been staying in and locked up until Rick comes for him. Daryl bares his neck with a nod, Rick's eyes flashing in response. When Andrea smacks Rick in front of everyone, the Alpha presses down on a pressure point at the back of her neck, sending her down as well. He directs Glenn to lock her in the RV, then stares at the others, waiting. When no one else challenges him, Rick has Hershel hand out chores while he follows Daryl, ready to get some answers.


	9. Don't Mess With The Theta

Daryl had been it the shack with Randel for a while, beating him to find out more about the Beta's Pack, and where they were. Rick waits outside, having volunteered to do it but he was shot down by the Omega.

"You go in there like you are and you're gonna beat the kid to death, whether he tells ya anything or not. Yer Alpha's to close. I'll do it, I need to let out some frustration and it's better used on him than the Flock. You stand outside; if it sounds like I'm going too far, pull me out. Use your voice if ya gotta, I'll be pissy with ya, sure, but I'll be grateful too. Don't want the Beta beaten to death so close to the Packs, in case them pups hear it, ya know?" Rick had accepted that as an answer and let the Omega inside.

"I didn't know those guys!" Randel sobs through a bloody lip and black eye, "I met them on the road."

"How many in your group?" When Daryl doesn't get a response, he pulls out his hunting knife, ready to scare the answers out of him.

"NO! No no no no no no! PLEASE!" Randel sobs, "I swear I don't know anything!" Daryl stabs the ground next to his injured leg, going through the Beta's pants leg, causing the poor boy to yelp and piss himself. Daryl ignores the smell and the sound of Rick at the door, calling softly.

"HOW MANY?!" Daryl yells.

"30! 30. 30 guys, Alphas and Betas."

"We knew that." Daryl growls, looking at the Beta's eye growing wide at the news, "Tony and Dave, the fuckers my Prime took out, they already coughed up those details. Where are they?!"

"Uh…." Daryl rolls up the boy's pants leg some more and rips the Duct Tape over the bleeding leg wound off. The boy screams and swears he doesn't know again.

"I swear! We were never in one place for more than a night!"

"Scouting? Plans to stay local?" Daryl touches the tip of his knife into the stitches on his leg.

"I don't know, they left me behind."

"Ever pick off a scab?" Daryl growls, digging the knife a little deeper.

"Come on man! I'm trying to cooperate."

"Start real slow at first…. Sooner or later you just gotta rip it off!"

"OK! Ok! They- they have weapons. Heavy stuff, automatics." As the boy talks his voice changes from scared to coy, almost cocky, like he was making a sale pitch instead of begging for Daryl to no dig into his bloody leg even more. "But I- I didn't do anything!"

"Your Pack shot at my Pack, tried to take this farm. You just went along with the ride? You tryin' to tell me you're innocent?!"

"YES!" The Beta pants, "These people took me in. Not just guys- a whole group. Men and women," Daryl gets up, taking his knife with him as the kid talks, knowing Rick was hearing everything, "kids too- just like your Pack. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, ya know? But…. we go out, scavenge- just the men."

Randel gulps, "One night we- we found this little campsite. This Beta guy and his two daughters- Teenagers, one Beta one Omega. Real young…." He looks at Daryl with hooded glazed eyes, "... real cute. The Omega had just come out of a Heat a few days before. I'm a Beta and even I could smell it."

The Beta must have thought Daryl was an Alpha or a Beta, and given his redneck appearance, Randel was trying to appease him, find something in common to connect with his torturer. The Beta was so lost in memory that he couldn't see Daryl's rage, or smell his and Rick's scents of pain yet to befall him.

"They made their daddy watch while these guys- they-" The Beta's arousal almost had Rick breaking down the door, but Daryl's whispered purr to calm his Prime was enough to control the urge. Randel took the purr as something else.

"And they didn't even kill him afterwards. They just- they just made him watch-" The smell was so consuming with rage and hatred, Randel was starting to notice, the look on Daryl's face had him stuttering, "-as his daughter-ers- they just-just left him there. No but I-I didn't touch those girls. No, I swear- I didn't touch them."

Daryl threw all his force into a kick to the injured leg. Randel screams again, sobbing. Daryl throws another kick to the Beta's stomach, a punch to his face. The Omega pants as he looks at the crying Beta, before he gets an idea. He goes to the door and opens it a crack, motioning Rick over. "I'm gonna try something else. Go check on the others, he ain't going nowhere."

"You good?" The Alpha asks, looking inside. The Beta was a bloody pulp, crying and eyes begging Rick to not be left alone with Daryl again. The fear in Randel's eyes when he looked at Daryl's back made Rick want to rumble with pleasure, pleased the Omega had made an impact. The Theta was panting lightly through his nose, sweat making his skin shine, the bloody like rubies on the man's knuckles. Very pleased.

"Yeah, I'm good." Daryl nods, silently preening with the approving smile and rumble Rick gave. His Prime was happy with him; he still thought Daryl was useful now that Sophia was found, and the hunter's usefulness had dwindled to bringing food and not much else. Daryl was pleased with that, it meant Rick wouldn't kick him out yet.

Rick nods and raises his hand to Daryl's neck, hesitating inches from the skin. Daryl rolls his eyes but leans into it, letting the Alpha's fingers graze just shy of his glands before closing the door in Rick's face. The Omega waits for Rick to walk away before he turns back to Randel. Daryl walks over and to the Beta's surprise, the Omega drops into his lap, the hunting knife inches from his eye.

"You telling' me your Pack found a young Omega and her family, just out of her Heat, and raped her? And her sister? Then left then with their father? Alive or dead?"

"The other-er guys, y-yeah. And they were-re de-ead. Dead."

"What were you gonna do when you got to the farm? Huh? Your Packmates knew we had women; we have Alphas…. Betas…." Daryl shifts a little closer, intentionally grazing the Beta's lap, and hard-on, "... we have a couple Omegas too. And you just managed to piss off the most dangerous one with that little story of yours." Daryl growls.

Randel's eye widens as far as it can, the other swollen shut, "You're an Omega?!"

"I'm the Theta." Daryl drives the knife into the wall beside the kid's head.

Thetas were known to be the most aggressive in a Pack; the way rumors goes, a Theta could wipe out Delta Packs, slaughter every Alpha without remorse, if they put their hands on an Omega without consent. There were multiple news stories about it from Before, all of them from New-School Packs. Because the Theta has as much power as an Elder, or even more in most Pack where the Theta was Mated to the Prime, they almost always got away with killing rapist, or rapist-to-be, if the Omega attacked gave a testimony. Even then, they were never held long.

Randel had heard those stories of Thetas, and more, and he pissed himself again at the thought that he'd angered one as aggressive as Daryl. When the Theta bares his teeth in a snarl, eyes black, the Beta regrets not having a better hold of his bladder, especially with the enraged Omega on his lap. Good thing Daryl's tent was on the way back to the group.

…

Daryl gets cleaned up before he goes see the Flock, changing his clothes and throwing the pants outside of the shack, along with the boxers soaked with the Beta's urine. Then he goes see Rick. The others are there as well, all except Shane. Even Maggie's Pack was outside, Beth no longer unresponsive and sporting new bandages from her suicide attempt.

She had tried to kill herself the morning after Rick and Glenn went looking for Hershel. Maggie was ever present at her side, until she had gone to the bathroom, leaving the distressed Omega in Andrea's care. The Beta had said some things to her then left her alone, saying it was her choice as to how she left this world. Maggie and Lori had broken down the bathroom door to find Beth with a broken mirror, arm bleeding and a piece of glass imbedded in her skin. Shaking and crying, Maggie had rushed her sobbing and apologetic sister into the other room, where Patricia had stopped the bleeding, and Hershel had stitched it up. Maggie was close to ripping into Andrea but settled for banning the Beta from the house and contact with Beth. Andrea had a lot of ass kissing to do if she wanted a warm bed for winter.

Daryl stands next to Glenn and Rick while he gives the news, bloody knuckles on display where he was clutching his crossbow over his shoulder.

"It's a Delta Pack with a few Betas hanging around, over 30 men. They got heavy artillery and they ain't lookin' to make friends. They come through here and the Alpha and Beta men ain't gonna make it. The women, Omegas, and pups- we gonna wish we were." The Pack made no comment on how Daryl included himself, not wanting to think of a group that could overpower the rouge Theta.

"What did you do?" Carol asked, clutching Sophia and Carl to her. Daryl moves over to her and rubs the pup's hair, then scents her and Sophia lightly on their shoulders.

"We had a little chat." Daryl was close enough that Carol could tell how the chat ended. Daryl's pheromones smelled sour, like he'd done something he hated. She knew he had used his Omega status to get some of the answers out of the Beta, though she was unclear as to what extent. Randel's scent was heavy on him, as though he'd been Marked by the Beta. Those that could smell it were worried. An unwanted Mark on an Omega, and ones as strong willed as Daryl, their emotional state would have to be a mess. No one pushes though; Glenn hands Daryl some shower supplies and Hershel leads him to the house, offering to clean his hand, the rest of the Greene Pack following quickly behind.

"No one goes near this guy." Rick rumbles, watching Daryl's back, "He's dangerous and a threat. We don't have a choice anymore."

"You're gonna kill him?" Dale breathes.

"It's settled." Rick rumbles again, walking away, "I'll do it today."

Dale follows behind his Alpha quickly. "You can't do this. You don't want to do this, I know you don't."

"I thought about it all night. After what Daryl said, and what I heard, I'm not taking any chances; not ones that will endanger the Pack like that."

"You can't just decide to take a man's life, not by yourself. And you didn't let anyone else speak up if they had any disagreements. This isn't the kind of Alpha you are. This sounds like Shane's way…. Not yours."

"What do you suggest then, as our Elder? Our people are scared, and I don't feel secure knowing he's close enough to where we sleep, that if he gets out…. If he gets out, one of ours could be hurt or worse before we can get to him."

"Let me talk to the others, please Rick."

"You have until sundown. After that, what happens, happens."

…..

Randel was straining against the chain holding him away from the door. "Hey! Can I get some water? Please? I'm thirsty." T-Dog was on watch now that Shane and Andrea were both under watch as well. They had Jimmy watching Shane, since he was faster than all the others, while Dale watched over Andrea and the camp from the top of the RV.

Randel watches as the Theta comes over with the Prime, and his guard walks up to meet them. They start talking about patrols and someone named Dale bugging Daryl about Randel while the Omega was trying to make more arrows near the woods, where an old stone chimney stood. The beaten Beta pulls on his chain in frustration. Dust falls from the rafters along with a creak. The Beta looks up and see a kid with short brown hair under a sheriff's hat, watching him, his face void of all expressions.

"Hey." Randel whispers, not wanting the others to know he was talking to someone. "Hey. My names Randel, what's yours?"

Nothing.

"That's a nice hat. Is your dad the Prime? I like him, he's a good Alpha, I can tell." The Beta swallows, "Your mom out here too? You're lucky you got your family with ya' still. I lost mine…. Hey, I don't know what they've been saying about me, but I didn't do nothing, I swear."

The kid started walking down the beams, and then down a ladder.

"Yeah, your dad was gonna let me go until his Gamma started to fight with him. I was kind of worried." Randel wasn't paying attention to the volume of his voice anymore, not hearing that the group outside had gone silent. "My camp, we got a lot of supplies. You help me, and I'll take you and your folks back to my people. We'll take good care of you, keep you real safe."

Carl was standing just outside of Randel's reach, watching him with the same blank expression.

"Yeah, you just got to help me out of here, okay? Help me pick the lock or-or go find the key, okay? Please? Please?!" Randel lunges for the boy, his voice getting higher and the rattling of the chains covers the sound of the door opening.

"What the hell are you doing in here?!" Daryl yanks Carl behind him, towards Rick and T-Dog. Then he turns on Randel, a pistol between the Beta's eyes and his hands wrapped around his throat in seconds, "WHAT'D YOU SAY TO HIM?! HUH?! YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK NOW THAT THE ADULTS ARE HERE?! IS THAT IT?! HUH?!"

"I didn't say nothing I-I-"

"OPEN YOUR MOUTH! WHAT'D YOU SAY TO HIM?!"

"Nothing I swear!"

"Daryl!" Rick pulled the Omega back, "Daryl stop!" Daryl huffs, panting and pacing, but agrees. When Rick turns to the sniffling Beta he snarls.

"Thank you. I swear I-I didn't-" Rick grabs the boy's cheeks with one hand, squeezing his mouth shut and slams his head back against the wall, causing the Beta to whimper as the black eyed Prime digs his nails into the tender flesh.

"I ever catch you talking to my pup again," Rick flashes his teeth, "I'll rip your throat out."

Randel nods as best he could, pissing himself again, this time in submission. Rick drops him and pulls a pacing Daryl out of the shack, slamming the door closed. The Prime storms past a cowering T-Dog, who was trying to explain he hadn't known Carl was in there. Daryl moves towards him and grabs the man's neck, scenting him and crooning to calm his Packmate down. The Beta falls to his knees and latches onto the Theta when Rick snarls, punching the wall of the shack. Daryl bares his teeth when Rick comes over to apologize, shaking his head to make the Alpha back off.

"Dad I-" Rick picks Carl up by his scruff and carries him away from the makeshift prison, the pup's limbs curl up to make the ride easier. Daryl is quick to follow, T-Dog stays at his post, not wanting to make his Prime any angrier than he was already. Rick walked all the way to the farm house, Carl whimpering at every person he passed as if asking for help getting out of trouble. Daryl follows half a step behind the Alpha, silent and strong. Once they get into the house, Daryl calls out to the Alpha.

"Rick. Hey, Rick." He tugs on the Prime's shirt collar, "Alpha."

Rick freezes; that was the first time in the months that Daryl had been a part of Rick's Pack, unofficially or otherwise, that he had called Rick his Alpha. Well, the first time he did it when he wasn't being sarcastic or making fun of.

"Hand me the pup and calm yourself down. Ya ain't gonna want to handle this while you're borderline Rut." Daryl takes Carl from his father, lifting him under the arms and pulling him away. Once Rick is sure that Daryl's got a good grip on Carl, he lets go and sits down on the couch, pulling at his hair. Daryl checks Carl over for any indication Randel had hurt him, glaring at the pup when he tries to explain himself again. Once he's sure the pup is fine, he moves him over to stand in front of his dad. Daryl retreats to the doorway where Glenn and Maggie are, then explains what happen to them. Rick sighs and looks up at his pup, Carl's eyes are at his feet and his eyes gleam with tears.

"What you did was dangerous. I told you and the Flock to stay away from him as much as possible because he's dangerous. A guy like that will say anything, ANYTHING, to get you to let your guard down. He'll try to make you feel sorry for him, paint himself out as a victim." Rick tilts Carl's chin up so the boy was looking him in the eye, "You let your guard down out here and people die. Don't go near him again."

"Yes sir." Carl whispers. Rick pulls his pup into his lap, scenting his glands as the pup whimpers and sniffles.

"I'm not angry at you pup. Mad that you disobeyed me, yes, but not at YOU. I'm sorry I scared you, but you terrified me being in there. What if he had gotten out of his chains? What if he had hurt you?" Rick purrs and croons at the boy until he calms down.

"I'm sorry dad." Carl sniffles with a small chirp. Rick pulls Carl into his own glands and chuffs. Once they were calmed down, Rick lets the pup up.

"You're grounded." Rick tells him, "You're not allowed to leave this house or the camp without someone from the Pack or Maggie's accompanying you. Today you're not leaving Carol's side and I'll make sure she says in the campsite. Tomorrow we'll see what else you can do. Glenn." The Prime looks at the younger Alpha, "Take him to Carol, please."

Carl goes to his Packmate after a quick hug from his dad. When he passes Daryl, he lowers his chin to his chest. The Omega reaches out and rubs the back of the pup's neck, scenting him. Once he's gone, the two Alphas with him, Daryl turns to Rick. "Rick, man I'm sorry. I didn't have any right to-"

Rick pulls the Omega into a hug, letting go just as quick and backing away, flushed. He clears his throat and looks at Daryl, "No. No, you had every right. You're the Pack Theta, you look out for the Omegas and pups, as well as everyone else. You were right about Carl, and T-Dog, and about my temper. Thank you."

"It's what we do. We're Pack, and Packs look out for one another."

Rick smiles and nods. "I'm going to go apologize to T." He walks out of the room, pausing to pat Daryl on the shoulder. The Omega uses that time to rub Rick's neck, fully scenting the Alpha, and hurrying away before Rick could say anything.

…

It was almost sunset when the Packs started to gather around the house. Rick had been cleaning out the barn while keeping an eye out on Shane, the Gamma was still out from Rick's choke hold. Carol had kept the pups entertained all afternoon with chores and schoolwork, then they helped cook dinner, Carl staying right by her side the whole time.

Glenn walks into Beth's room where Hershel was checking on her, the two singing an old nursery rhyme and laughing together. It reminder Glenn of what he used to do with his dad and papa, and siblings. His dad used to hold them to her chest and sing, while their papa did his best to make them laugh with little dances. The Alpha clears his throat to get Hershel's attention and clear away the whine of longing in his throat.

"How is she?"

"Better. Aren't you doodlebug?" Hershel kisses Beth's forehead and follows Glenn out of the room.

"Let me know if you guys need anything; I don't mind making runs into town."

"That won't be necessary, though I appreciate the offer." Hershel puts his hands in his pockets and looks at the Alpha with interest, "Not to be rude, but where is your family from?"

"Michigan." The Alphas chuckle, "But uh… before that, Korea."

"Immigrants built this country, never forget that." Hershel smiles at the other, trying to ease the nervousness from him. "Our family came from Ireland."

"Maggie Greene- Kind of figured."

Hershel pulls out an old pocket watch with a sliver chain, twisting it in his hands, "My grandfather brought this over from the old country. He passed it on to my father, who passed it on to me as the male, Alpha heir. I pawned it to pay for a night of drinking I no longer remember."

They chuckle again. Glenn gestures to it, "You bought it back."

"My late Mate did- Josephine, Maggie's mother." Hershel sighs, rolling his shoulder where the faded Mark was, "She gave it back, years later when I sobered up. She was a good woman, my Jo. Maggie's a lot like her."

Hershel looks at Glenn, could see the calmness sweep over him at Maggie's name. The pup had it bad for his daughter, Alpha or not. It helped make this easier, "When we were in that bar, and afterwards, I thought about a lot of things. You become a father someday, you'll understand. No one is good enough for your little girl; no Alpha, no Beta, no Omega."

Hershel grabs Glenn's hand and places the watch in his palm, then curls his fingers around it with a loving pat, "Until one is."

"Sir I-"

"Think of it as a gift." Hershel cuts the speechless Alpha off with a chuckle, "And my blessing to your's and Maggie's courtship."

"Hershel-" The door opens, and the Packs wonder in.

"Come on now, son." The Elder steers Glenn into the living room with a nod to Rick, "Let's join the meeting before they vote without us."

…

Guilty.

Rick, Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog drag Randel from the shack to the to the barn, a bag over the Beta's head. They force him to the center of the barn, Shane's eyes glow in the light from the oil lamp from under the loft where he was tied up. He'd been beaten again and gagged after he woke and started screaming profanity so loud it could be heard from the house. And if they could hear it, so could Walkers. Randel was sobbing as Rick checked the chamber to his python, double checking the silencer was secured.

"Would you like to stand or kneel?" Rick asks the boy. The boy only cried harder. Daryl kicks the injured leg, forcing him to his knees with a yelp. The Theta grabs his hair and pulls back before the Beta could face plant into the straw that covered the ground, then steadied him and let go, backing away.

"Do you have any final words?" Randel sobs some more and begs for Rick not to do it. The Alpha looks at his Pack, each giving their own nods, then points the gun at the Beta's head and clicks the safety off. Randel sobs louder.

"Mr. Grimes? Is Daryl with you?" Sophia stood in the doorway with wide eyes, staring at the men.

"Girl what are you doing out here?! Where's your ma?" Daryl moves quickly, blocking the Omega's view of what was going to happen and herding her outside.

"What's going on? Who's that?" Sophia starts sobbing and chirping in fear, holding onto Daryl tightly as he picks her up and carries her from the door. Rick secures the gun and holsters it, near sprinting to the opening. Sophia had her head buried in Daryl's neck, the poor girl was chirping louder even as Daryl tries to sooth her. Rick turns to Glenn and T-Dog, "Get him back in the shack, then head to the house. Daryl."

The Theta was already walking, Rick jogging to keep up. His Pack works quick to move the Beta back in his cell and close the barn. Carol was slamming the house door open and sprinting towards them before they even got halfway there, the older Omega was crying too, her thrills and croons loud and desperate.

"Sophia!" She takes her daughter into her arms when Daryl hands her over, finally soothing the pup's chirps. Then she turns to Rick and Daryl with quiet sniffles. "I'm so sorry. I went to take a shower, I thought her and Carl were still asleep. I came back and she wasn't there; I thought she just went looking for one of the Pack members in the house, so I was checking the rooms when I heard her. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, no harm done. She didn't see anything." Daryl reassures the Omega.

"Where's everyone else?" Just as Rick asks, the house door opens again and everyone spills out. Andrea comes out of the RV, and Glenn and T-Dog jog up behind them. Everyone was there; Hershel, Carl, Patricia, Beth, Maggie, Lori, Dale….

"Where's Dale? Has anyone seen him since we voted? Or Jimmy?" Rick raises his voice so everyone could hear him.

"He was upset because of the verdict and went to take a walk." Andrea says.

"Jimmy's inside." Maggie adds. Suddenly a scream was heard; Dale.

"Carol, take the pups inside, lock all the doors and turn off the lights! GO!" Daryl instructs as the Flock takes off towards the field.

"Beth goes with Carol! Hurry!" Maggie send her sister inside, just as Jimmy came out slamming the screen door, handing a shotgun to T-Dog as he ran. They call for Dale as his screams get louder and more pain filled.

Daryl finds the Elder first, laying on the ground with a mutilated cow next to him, a Walker fist deep in the man's gut. Snarling in rage, Daryl drops his oil lamp, catching the lightly damp grass to catch fire but not spreading as he body slams the Walker off Dale. Rolling on the ground with it, the Theta rips the head off with his bare hand, fingers digging into the eye sockets. He stabs it with his knife for good measure and then drops it next to its body. Forgetting the knife, he falls to his knees next to the Elder: he wasn't going to make it. Seeing the lights coming closer, Daryl throws his head back and Howls, signaling his location.

Rick hears the Howl of their Theta, filled with pain and grief, and knew they were too late. They were going to lose Dale. Pushing ahead of the Pack, Rick falls to his knees next to the old man, Daryl's hands adding pressure to the wound, trying desperately to save his Packmate.

"Hang in there buddy." The Omega's voice was rough and thick with emotion.

"HERSHEL!" Rick roars. The Pack surrounds them, all calling out to Dale and trying to choke back their sobs as the link to the Elder started to fade. Once the other Elder was next to them, everyone quieted down. "What can we do?"

"Nothing." Everyone cries harder at his words, "If we try to move him, he'll die. If I try to go get my kit and come back, he'll die. It's too dark out here for me to operate now, if I try to…."

"He'll die?" Daryl's cries. The Theta had never been a big one for emotion, except with Merle or the pups, but no one could fault him for his tears over this. It was hard on them all.

"I'm sorry." Hershel turns to Rick, "He's only going to suffer the longer he's like this."

Dale could understand what Hershel was saying, and grabs Rick's hand, nodding through the pain. The Alpha whines loudly, pulling the gun from his holster and causing a fresh wave of sobs from the Flock. Rick stands and points the gun shakily at the Elder's head. Daryl comes up on the other side of the Alpha and pulls the gun from him, choking out croons to calm him. Rick lets the Theta pull the gun from his hand and pulls Andrea from her knees next to Dale's body, hiding the distraught Beta's sobs in his chest. He purrs but knows it won't be enough; Dale had been a father to her, to all of them. She didn't need to see this. Rick pulls Maggie and Glenn to him as well, letting them cry it out, while Daryl kneels.

Click. "Sorry brother." BOOM!

Rick doesn't look away; he owed it to Dale, as his Prime, to be there for his final moments. When the gun goes off, most of the Flock hits their knees. Daryl drops the gun and stands up, moving over to the Walker's corpse and kicking out his frustration on it. Rick hands Andrea off to Glenn and Maggie who help her back to the house. The rest of the Flock moves with them, all crying and whining. Jimmy comes up to Rick with a blanket, tears in his eyes and sniffling. Rick takes it with a nod and hugs the teenage Alpha, thanking him, before handing him off to Hershel.

Soon it was just the two of them with Dale's body; the Prime and the Theta, the leaders. Rick pours some water on the small fire that the oil lamp made from his canteen, then he covers their fallen Elder with the blanket. Rick stands up and wipes his eyes, watching as the blanket turns red. The Alpha looks up as near silent sobbing draws his attention to the Omega. Rick walks up to the hunter and lays a hand on his shoulder.

"Daryl-" The Omega turns around and buries his face in Rick's neck with a whine. Rick lowers them to their knees as he breaks down, purring and crooning at the Omega. Daryl sniffles and rubs his glands against Rick's, scenting his Alpha properly for the first time. Rick does the same, and they sit there until the moon is high in the sky, before making their way back to the farm house, needing a full night sleep for tomorrow. Dale had loved the willow by the barn, where they had buried the others. They'd put his grave under it too.


	10. Lori's A B, Now Everyone Knows It

They bury Dale by the other graves, under the willow. Sophia and Carl had picked some flowers and Carol helps them plant them on the overturned earth. Rick's Pack does a perimeter check, looking for the way the Walker had entered the farm, Glenn and T-Dog follow Daryl as he tracks its path, Andrea following them at a small distance. She needed something to distract her, so Daryl took her with them. They found a small herd of Walkers eating a cow and take them out, found the hole in the fence, and mark it on the map to fix as soon as they grab the materials.

"Join us?" Maggie looks at the Pack, "All of you; join us in the house? It's going to start getting cold soon and the Flock can fit, that way you have more than thin fabric and a small fire keeping you warm."

"14 members in one house?" Rick sucks in air between his teeth, "Gonna be a tight fit."

"Creek drying up, swamp hardening," Hershel says, "not to mention the 50 or so cattle we have and the rest of our livestock…"

"It's like ringing' the dinner bell to an all you can eat buffet." Daryl huffs.

"Exactly. We should have moved you in a while ago, and for that I apologize." The Elder says.

"Alright, we move the cars closer, each facing the road in case we need a quick getaway. We'll build a lookout post on the windmill and in the barn, give us a better view of both sides of the property. T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone coming and going." Rick starts to direct everyone.

"What about standing guard?" T cuts his eyes to Shane, who they had let out after what happened to Dale. The Gamma may not be part of their Flock anymore, but while he was on the property, he was their responsibility. He'd be staying in the RV, away from everyone else. They would also need to guard Randel, since the Beta was still with them.

"I'll need you and Daryl on double duty." Rick nods to the Omega. Shane was watching everyone move around him in disbelief.

"I'll stock the basement with food and water," Hershel gathers the crates and assorted containers the Pack had been using, heaving them up into his arms, "enough that we can all survive inside for a few days if need be."

"What about patrols?" Andrea asks.

"Let's get the house and camp locked down first. Take it step by step, then we'll worry about that." When the Beta, and Gamma, roll their eyes, Rick rumbles a warning, "The faster this get done, the faster we can move on to the next thing. After this is done, Glenn will assign shifts while Daryl and I take Randel offsite and cut him loose."

"We're back to that now?" Shane laughs, pissed.

"It was a good plan, just poorly executed."

"Ain't that a slight understatement."

"You don't like the plan, I get that. But that IS the plan. Swallow it, move on." Rick growls.

"Randel and Dale's death are two separate things; you know that right?" At Rick's glare, Shane huffs, "You want to take Daryl as your wingman, be my guest."

"Thank you." Rick snarls, "But I don't need YOUR permission, Shane."

….

Rick sends Shane to build the lookout post up on the windmill by himself, to give him busy work so he wasn't disturbing the rest of the Pack. Carol had Carl and Sophia again, this time inside cleaning up the rooms and making space for the Flock to move in, more work that needed to be done and would benefit everyone, while at the same time kept the little ones busy and letting them feel like they were helping without everyone being on guard watching them. Daryl was fixing up the holes in Randel's shack; this way Carl couldn't get back inside and the Beta couldn't get out. Randel seemed to be quiet, but Daryl could see him through the cracks yanking at the hand cuffs. T-Dog and Glenn were helping move things into the house from the cars, while Maggie tried to convince the Asian Alpha she was Courting to her room. Glenn refused, saying they could do as they please but he wanted a boundary they would honor and pass, as old fashion as it was. Glenn's parents had been Traditional and New-School, so he was raised believing there was steps to courtship he would have to earn the rights to; including sleeping in the same room as his Mate-to-be. Maggie was understanding, if not a bit frustrated, but she would respect Glenn's decision and left the offer open.

Daryl was on his way to meet Rick to discuss how they were going to deal with Randel when he saw Lori out by the windmill with Shane. He watches her touch the Gamma's face, almost lovingly, if Lori could love. Then she touched her stomach, then wiped her eyes. When Shane went to comfort her she shakes her head and walks away, one arm wrapped around her stomach, the other hand hiding her mouth. As she gets closer Daryl watches the hand lower, showing a victorious grin. With one last wipe of her eyes, Lori seems to transform from a weak, crying and scared Beta, to a confident and fearless one. And when she sees Daryl watching her, she glares at him and storms passed him to go inside. Daryl hears her mumble something under her breath, something that sends his guard up and a rumble from his chest out into the open.

'Traditional Beta has a thing against Omegas.' Daryl thinks with a huff, adjusting the crossbow on his shoulder, 'Figures.'

If the Beta didn't act on her words, and by default put Sophia, Beth, and Carol in danger, Daryl would leave the hateful bitch to her lonesome. He meets up with Rick on the porch, the Prime was already looking at the maps, planning their route. Daryl walks around him and sets the bow down, patting Rick on the shoulder before leaning over it, "What we got?"

Rick scents the hunter's hand before pointing out their path, "We'll take him out here, Senoia- an hour there, an hour back, give or take. We might lose the light, but we'll be halfway home by then."

Daryl stands up and moves away from Rick, placing both hands on the map to get a better look at the red lines Rick had used to show which roads they'd take. "Then this little pain in the ass will be a distant memory. If we're lucky, he won't find his way back around here; head in another direction. Good riddance."

"Carol and the pups are putting together some food for him, enough to last him a few days, if he rations them right." Daryl hops up onto the porch banister, as they watch Shane drive back to gather more wood. Rick sighs, "That thing you did last night- for me and Dale. I wanted to thank you and apologize."

Daryl looks at Rick like he had spoken in another language, "What for?"

"I'm your Alpha, all of you. I should have been able to do it and I couldn't, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Rick looks at the Omega, "You named me the Pack Theta. It's because I cared even if I hate making myself vulnerable by showing just how much. Dale was suffering, and you were in pain just from pointing the gun at him. Everyone was crying, and I needed to stop it. I took the gun from you because it would make it easier for all of us; Dale's death was quick instead of painful, you didn't have to shoot a member of the Flock, the others could leave Dale's body to grieve once it was done, and I could ease everyone's hurt, just a little."

It was the most Rick had heard the hunter speak before, and it was amazing.

"Besides," Daryl shrugs, "just cause you're our Prime doesn't mean you have to do all the heavy lifting. That's what Packmates are for."

"Still. I also wanted to apologize for what happened after too. I know that, as the Theta, your bonds with the Pack are different than mine, and with you ending Dale's suffering…. Sorry. For scenting you like I did while you were working out your grief. I didn't ask beforehand if it was ok and I apologize for that as well. Not for scenting you as Pack but the manner I did it in." Rick clarifies.

"I'm the one who hugged you, Rick, and I scented you first as well. No apology needed…. And you're welcome for…. ya know." Daryl had come a long way from throwing squirrels at him in the Quarry. Which reminded Rick of something.

"Those two are up to something." Daryl rumbles watching Lori bring out a water bottle and give it to Shane.

"What do you mean?"

"Did ya know your Ex was sexist? At least towards Omegas."

Rick huffs out a laugh and growls as he shakes his head, "I'd forgotten that."

"How do you forget that?" Daryl growls.

"Because the last time Lori said anything sexist while in the same building as me, I was almost arrested for spousal abuse and assault. Lori dropped the charges when I agreed we would get married instead of Bonded and we'd move here to be closer to her family. I had to lose contact with all Alpha and Omega family members and friends and Carl would go to a Traditional school and we'd live in a Traditional neighborhood. I also had to wear Dampeners at all times. She agreed to never say anything like that again." Rick sighs and leans against the banister next to Daryl.

"What'd she do? And say?" Daryl exclaimed quietly, throwing a look at the Beta from over his shoulder.

"It was Christmas, a year before Carl began Emanating, so maybe two. Jeff- Jeff brought over his fiancé." Rick swallows loudly with a whimper, "She was this sweet girl in his literacy class, and she was an Omega."

"Jeff?" Daryl asks.

"Jeffrey; my kid brother. He was an Alpha too, but he always acted like a Beta. Said the status wasn't his style. I met Lori through him; they were best friends in high school. I haven't talked to him in years. Last I heard, two weeks before my coma, they were heading to Barcelona for their honeymoon." Rick laughs out his sob, "The last time I saw him was that Christmas and now the dead are walking and he's on the other side of the world. I'm never going to see him again."

The Omega croons softly at the distressed Alpha, which prompts Rick to respond with a purr as he wipes his eyes, "Claudia, his mate, she came over for Christmas that year and Lori went off. Most of the time, the Omegas of my family were like Carol; soft spoken and what not. Claudia was like you; strong willed and ready to break bone if someone looked at her funny. I think that was the only time I ever saw her cry, when Lori went off about how Omegas were 'supposed to act' and she kept telling her that Jeff was going to leave her unless she acted as she was 'bred to'."

Daryl snarled along with Rick at the words, glaring at the Beta as she went over to the cars to grab something, "Claudia was already scared that Jeff would leave her because of me; we were really close, and she was scared I wouldn't approve. Hearing that from Lori, who was my Mate and wife at the time…."

"Would have sent her into a panic." Daryl nods, "Didn't know you had a little brother."

"Like I said, haven't seen or heard from him in ten years." Rick shrugged, looking at his feet, "Speaking of…. You haven't said anything about Merle."

Daryl tenses up, "Ain't got nothin' to say about 'im."

"Ok." Rick rolls the maps up, tight, "But I want you to know, if you ever want to, I'll listen. I scented him on that roof; he's Pack as far as I'm concerned. I still feel him sometimes, so he's alive at least. I'm always willing to listen."

The Alpha taps the map against the railing, "So, you good with all this?"

"I don't see us trading haymakers by the side of the road. Nobody'd win that fight." Rick chuckles and leaves Daryl on the porch, knowing the last thing the Omega would want would be a scenting from the Alpha that had brought up the brother he left for dead. The Theta watches Rick leave pleased he was giving Daryl the space he wanted but conflicted as to whether he would have wanted the man's hand at his neck or not.

…

Randel was gone. Daryl and Rick were waiting by the car when T-Dog came by and told them he had found the shack empty, bloody handcuffs on the ground and the smell of Pack all over the place. Shane. Rick went after the Gamma while Daryl herded everyone but T-Dog and Glenn back to the house. Hershel was to stay with Carol, Beth and the pups, but the others could help search if they wanted to. Everyone else decide to barricade the house.

"Daryl, can you track them?" Rick was looking at the lock on the door while Glenn and T-Dog checked out the interior and exterior for the exit route. Shane hadn't been told the combination because Rick was scared something like this might happen, and the lock had still been secured, meaning he knew it anyway, he was told it by someone, or they got out another way.

"This way." The four men follow a path only Daryl could see until they were deep in the woods and the Theta stops. "There was a fight, something fell, was bleeding. Then the tracks split and disappear. They split up."

"Then so will we. Daryl come with me; Glenn take T and go right. Shoot to kill, even if it's Shane. And remember they aren't the only threat out there; keep an eye out for each other."

The Alpha nods and turns the flashlight he brought onto the trail, the Beta follows after a glance at the others. Rick follows Daryl, staying low when the Omega does, hiding behind trees when the other hears something that puts him on edge. They end up just past the tree lines in an open field, when Randel shows up with a shovel, hitting Daryl in the back of his head, sending the Omega down to his knees. Rick snarls and lunges at the Beta when he goes to mount the Omega, Randel's teeth digging into Daryl's loose scruff, but Shane appears behind him and yanks him back with an arm around his neck.

"Don't bother man, the bitch is going to be fine. Randy's gonna make sure he knows his place when we drag him back to our new Pack." The Gamma laughs. Randel had Daryl pinned beneath him and was pawing at his clothes, which Rick found worrisome. It became pure fear and rage when he saw the blood and dazed look in Daryl's eyes, the weak attempt to fight back hindered by a concussion most likely. Shane pushes Rick away from the two and points his gun at Rick. "Hurry up man, we still have to get Lori and my pup."

"You better have a good reason I shouldn't kill you right now." Rick snarls.

"For what?" Shane gasps, "Protecting MY family? Yeah, betcha didn't think Lori would tell me that huh?"

"What?" Rick was beyond confused; what did Lori have to do with Shane letting Randel out and encouraging him to rape Daryl? "Lori's your Mate, what-"

"EXACTLY!" Shane bellows, "AND THAT PUP IS MINE!"

"Shane what the hell are you talking about?!" Rick growls.

"Lori told me man. You're trying to move in on what's mine. You told me you and Lori were done, that she was mine and now you're trying to court her again and steal MY CUB?!" Shane's eyes were almost white, his pupils shrinking. Daryl was gaining his movement again, throwing Randel off him. Rick was relieved to see that the Omega's bottom half was still clothed, his shirt in shreds and some new cuts on his stomach. Randel was able to keep the dazed Daryl down, but barely.

"I have a pup; Carl. Lori and you betrayed me when you took her from me. I refused to have a cheating Mate before, and after everything she's done; renouncing Carl, attacking MY Pack? Why would I want her back?!" Rick snarls. Shane's eyes start to widen, his mind clearing.

"But why? Why would she tell me that you made me a Gamma to take her and claim my cub? Why would she tell me to kill you, so we could be together?" The man's hands were shaking almost as much as his voice.

"Why did she make me cut contact with my family? Why wasn't I allowed to talk about our Mating or the fact that she was my Mate? Why was I only allowed to be around other Betas; at the store, on the force, at Carl's school?" Rick holds his hands out, trying to make himself less threatening… For now. "I was forced to be a Beta husband, only talking about the wedding and calling her my wife. I was only allowed to talk to and about other Betas. You were the only Alpha I had contact with for over twelve YEARS, Shane. My only Pack, and you remember how pissed Lori was; she walked into the precinct and started throwing racial slurs at every Alpha and Omega in uniform, but mostly at you and the captain because you all refused to give me a Beta partner. She was seven months pregnant and you got in her face and yelled at her because of me. I was an Alpha and so reduced-"

"You looked like a skeleton, on your first day." Shane said, lowering the gun. Randel and Daryl were frozen, watching the exchange with laser focus, "Bleached skin and sunken eyes; we could see every one of your ribs and the knots of your spine through your uniform. You didn't look like that when you left for college in Georgia, man. The nurse was barely over four foot and she could wrap her whole hand around your wrist when she went to take your pulse; you scared her bad with that. You passed out after a panic attack not five minutes after you walked inside because of all the pheromones. They rushed you to the hospital because you wouldn't stop seizing. Lori came in while the doctors were giving you forced hormones to balance you again, talking shit about how you weren't allowed near half of us. I think you scared all of them the next time you came in smelling like an Alpha; there was a betting pool about you being her Omegan Breeder, or a submissive Beta. The captain said it was the worst case of Alpha suppressancy and spousal abuse he'd ever seen, but you refused to press charges because of your pup. She had you by the balls man, and Carl was the chain."

Shane lowered the gun completely, it goes limp in his hands. "She's playing me, isn't she? Getting in my head, making me do things at her will. She tried to make me kill you, she wanted you gone. She kept saying that if you were gone, I'd be the Prime again, we'd be together and no one else would be able to challenge me again. I didn't want to be Prime, Alpha, not when we first got to the Quarry. Lori took charge, but the other Alphas didn't want to listen to a Beta housewife. The Omegas and Betas took her as their leader except the Dixons', but the Alphas looked to me or Morales or Dale. Lori started sending everyone to me, and then I was it. I got so used to the others listening to me, and the more I did the more Lori came to me too; the more we…. I'm sorry Rick."

"It's her, Shane. She's manipulative and a control freak. There's something wrong with her but that's not your fault. But you fed into it, you let her make the rules because she rewarded you with your Knot. You saw what she was capable of, what she did to me. You're to blame for this too, just like her. But we can reverse what she did to you, just let us help."

"I'm sorry." Shane raises the gun again, "But the only way to help me now is to kill me. Rick please, do it, before I hurt someone else."

"Shane I won't murder you. Not in cold blood. I can help you, as your Alpha." Rick watches as Daryl's struggle starts up again, more frantic than before. Randel had pulled down his own pants and was rubbing against the Omega's clothed backside, holding Daryl in place by his hips, but making no move to further remove his clothing. The Theta's eyes were focused behind Rick.

Shane points the gun at the Alpha, "Then I'll make you kill me. I won't go back and be her puppet again."

"RICK!"

POW!

"Dad!" Rick spins on his heel when the bullet misses him, to see Carl behind him, a smoking hole at his feet. The pup was shaking, staring at Shane with teary and fearful but understanding eyes. The pup had heard them talking about Lori and everything the two men before him had worked so hard to keep from him about his mother. Carl seemed to nod at the Gamma… then he let the tears fall and chirped.

Rick roared and threw himself at Shane. The loud sound of something snapping, and then Daryl was on his feet and sprinting towards Carl, checking him over for a new gunshot wound, then hiding his face in the Omega's chest. The pup didn't need to see his father kill his godfather. Rick yanked the gun from the Gamma's and throws it away from them, towards Daryl. He tackles the Gamma to the ground with black eyes and teeth bare. He shoves his hand into Shane's chest, Carl's sobs and chirps in his ears along with Daryl's soft purrs. Rick rumbles as Shane grasps for breath, grabbing his Alpha's hand. Rick's eyes clear as Shane's mouth fills with blood and he pulls his hand from the Gamma's chest with a sob of his own, turning his brother so the blood pools on the ground instead of the back of his throat.

"Thank you," Shane gasps with his last breath, "brother."

Rick Howls his loss into the Gamma's bloody, unbeating chest, then remembers his Pack behind him. With blood on his face and tears in his eyes, he turns around and stands up, moving closer to them with a soft whine. "Carl, Daryl…. I-"

The two stand up, Carl with a gun and Daryl with his bow, both trained on him. No…. his Pack…. His pup… they had to understand… he….

Rick raises his hands, tears in his eyes. "Please-"

"RICK GET DOWN!" The Alpha drops when Daryl tells him to, a bullet and arrow passing over his head. He turns around to see two Walkers go down with headshots. Randel's was further away with an arrow in its eye, the Walker as indecent as before; Shane's was closer with a bullet in his forehead. Rick felt arms pull him up to a sitting position, and Carl drops into his lap, crying and chirping. Rick buries his nose in his son's glands and breathes, crooning softly as Daryl retrieves his arrow and wipes the blood off on Randel's open shirt. The Walker's neck was oddly twisted, meaning Daryl must have snapped his neck to get away when Shane shot at Carl's feet. A warning shot, not for the pup but for Rick. The pup had shot his godfather after the Gamma had shot at him to make Rick kill him.

"They weren't bit, I checked." Daryl kneels, scenting Rick and Carl. Rick shifts his pup around to pull his button up shirt off, passing it to the Omega to cover his tattooed and scarred abdomen. The Alpha's white undershirt was stained red. Daryl rubs Carl's back as the pup cuddles closer to his father, the Omega's eyes never leave the bodies, "How are they Walkers?"

"Maybe they don't need the bite." Carl sniffles, "My science teacher, back when this first started and schools were still open, said it was a virus. Like bacteria or something, and we were talking about the ways it spreads and how to avoid getting sick. He said sometimes we can't help getting sick, that the bacteria's in the air and it attacks our immune systems. What if this is like that, and we don't need to get bit, but the ones that do just get sick quicker because of the bite?"

"Then we're all infected." Rick's eyes widen in fear, looking to Daryl's wide eyes as well, "And when winter hits, we'll be in even more danger."

….

The three Pack members were half way through the field when they heard the growls of the dead. Rick looks behind them and sees the Walkers pouring out of the trees in the hundreds.

"Shit." He whispers, pushing Carl forward while Daryl grabs the pup and pulls him along, "Go! Go go go go. Daryl, run ahead, warn the others. We leave NOW!"

The Omega spares a glance back at the dead, then one at his Alpha and Carl, then with a nod he takes off sprinting towards the house. Rick herds his pup towards the barn; they needed to get to higher ground.

The Flock meets Daryl on the porch, the Omega panting and pointing towards the herd as the first Walker passes the barn. "We leave now."

"Carl's missing again and Rick's-"

"Rick's got Carl." Daryl cuts Glenn off, "He said to get in the cars and go. Now, come on."

"We need to grab things from the house." Carol says, "We won't survive without some of these things."

"Damn it." Daryl curses, he sees Rick and Carl running to the barn, taking out every Walker that gets to close. "The meds and nonperishables only. T bring the jeep up front, we'll put the supplies in there. Andrea grab the guns and Sophia," Daryl leans down and puts a hand on the girl's shoulder, drawing her attention from the herd, "go to every room and kill the lights. Not a single light left on; we don't need to give the herd a focus point."

The Packs splits up, moving to do as the Theta says. Daryl keeps his eyes on the barn; they wouldn't leave without the Grimes males.

When the Packs come back out, Andrea passes out the guns while T helps Sophia, Carol and Beth load up the jeep. Hershel grabs a gun and loads it, shooting at one of the Walkers at the fence to the barn.

"Are you serious?" Daryl asks. The plan was to leave, not defend, but the Omega wouldn't back down from a fight if the Elder wasn't going to. He loads his crossbow and checks the ammo on his gun.

"It's my farm," Hershel says, aiming again, "I'll die here."

"Good a night as any, I guess." Daryl hops over the banister and enters the fray, the Packs behind him. They get into their cars and ride out to the fence, setting up just as the barn catches fire. Daryl was watching in silent horror, shooting the Walkers as they get closer. T-Dog and Andrea drive in the pickup shooting all the Walkers on the right side of the fence, while Glenn and Maggie shoot the ones on the left. Jimmy was driving the RV towards the barn to grab Rick and Carl, everyone else stays close to the house with Hershel to pack up what they could into the remaining two cars.

"We're going to run out of ammo before we make a dent." Andrea turns to T-Dog.

"We need a new plan." He agrees.

"Hershel! Come on, it's time to go!" Lori screams at the Elder. The other women were on the porch behind her, waiting, "Come on we have to go!" They make a run for the cars, but Patricia is grabbed by a Walker. Beth refuses to let the Beta go even as the woman is bit on her shoulder until Lori comes back and forces her to let go, dragging the crying Omega away. Andrea jumps out of the truck as T-Dog pulls up next to them, yelling for them to get in.

"Carol ran that way, we have to get her!" Lori points in the direction of the Omega. If the damn bitch had followed the plan she would have been in one of the other cars with them, but she bolted after her daughter when Patricia went down. Maggie and Glenn follow T-Dog as they flee the farm, the female Alpha sobbing at her lost home and scattered Pack.

…..

Rick and Carl race to the barn, shooting the Walkers that get too close, hoping to pull their attention away from the lit house. Rick locks the two of them in the barn, trying hard to ignore the Walkers banging at the doors and hoping the thin broom he used to block the door would hold. Rick and Carl grab the gas can they used for the generators and pour it over the hay.

"All right, here we go. Hurry go up there." Rick gestures to the hayloft.

"What about you?" Carl gasps.

"I'll be right there." Rick hands the pup a lighter and pushes him to the ladder. "Drop the lighter when I say. It'll be ok, GO!"

"Dad-"

Carl, look at me puppy." Rick wipes his son's eyes, "I love you. Go."

Rick moves to the doors as Carl starts climbing, the pup bites back his whines and chirps for his father and focuses on doing as he was told for once. Rick waits until Carl is up before he removes the broom and throws the doors open. He fights the urge to flee and backs away, trying to bring in as many Walkers as possible. He climbs up the ladder and yells for Carl to drop the lighter. The Walkers didn't seem to notice that they were on fire, as they were standing under Rick and Carl. The Alpha moves Carl outside, just as the RV pulls up with Jimmy inside, yelling for them to hurry up. Rick and Carl move quickly jumping onto the RV and down the ladder. They circle around to the front of the RV to get Jimmy but the blood on the windows, sprayed from inside, tells the Alpha he was too late. Him and Carl make a run for the woods, dodging every Walker they can and circling around to the house. They make it just in time for Rick to shoot a Walker standing behind Hershel while he reloads his shotgun.

"The Flock, where is everyone?"

"I don't know." The Elder pants.

"We have to go." Rick pulls Hershel with them.

"It's my farm!"

"Not anymore!" They pile into the last car, missing Andrea by a few seconds.

"Rick! Rick wait!" She backs up shooting more Walkers, tripping over the gun bag. She picks it up and takes off heading for the trees.

Daryl watches the barn collapse in on itself, the flames reach for the heavens. He hears screaming from the beginning of the driveway and the sound of chirping. Sophia. Gunning Merle's motorcycle, he takes off. He finds Carol and Sophia limping towards the fence, Walkers close behind. They perk up as his bike pulls up in front of them and move faster. Sophia cries out for help with her mom, "Daryl!"

"Come on, I ain't got all day!" Sophia helps Carol on behind the Theta, then puts one foot on the bike before it takes off, Walker's ripping Carol's scarf from her neck but all three are un-bit. Daryl tells Sophia to hold on and drives a little further, stopping far enough away the herd can't get them and lifts the young Omega up. She settles in front of Daryl and holds onto the handles; Carol's hands reach around Daryl to lock in front of her daughter. They drive away, the Dixon wings pressed tight against Daryl's chest.

…..

Rick pulls up next to the car where they had left supplies for Sophia at dawn that morning. He prays that the others had thought of the same place, that they would end up making it. Carl had been asleep in the front seat but was waking up, and Hershel hadn't said a word to them since the farm. The Alpha hopes he'll be ok too, and that his girls had made it as well. They get out and wait, Carl's quiet sniffles are the only noise around them. A few Walkers come by the few hours they're there, but they evade them and wonder how much longer they can wait. Just as the three are ready to climb into the car and leave they hear a motorcycle engine rev. Daryl pulls up first with Carol and Sophia; the little pup jumps down and runs to Carl, throwing her arms around him and scenting his glands while the both whine in happiness. Carol follows with a quick purr and scenting at Rick, then Hershel before engulfing the pups in her arms, scenting Carl deeply.

Rick walks over to Daryl and they grasp hands. Rick leans down and scents him, smelling strongly of the others, just as the other car and truck pull up. Carl moves over to the Theta for a scenting while Rick goes to greet the others.

Maggie and Beth jump out before the cars stop, sprinting to their dad and each other. T-Dog and Glenn come over too, scenting their Prime with a big hug, and Daryl with a light scenting of his shoulder, before joining the big group hug around the pups.

"Where'd you find everyone?" Rick asks the Theta.

Daryl leans over his handlebars and points at Glenn, "Those guys' tail-lights zigzagging all over the road- figured you'd have to be Asian to drive like that."

The group manages a few chuckles while Glenn rolls his eyes, "Good one."

"Where are the rest of us?" Daryl asks, noticing a few heads missing.

"We're it, all the ones who made it so far." Rick sighs. They were missing Jimmy, Patricia, and Andrea.

"Shane?" Lori asks. She had stayed close to the car while Rick and Maggie's Packs reunited, the odd one out. Rick shakes his head.

"Andrea?" Glenn asks.

"She saved me when I went to get Sophia, then we lost her." Carol adds.

T-Dog shakes his head, "We saw her go down."

"Patricia?" Hershel asks.

"She's gone daddy." Beth cries into her father's chest. "What about Jimmy?"

"RV got over run." Rick sighs, "I'm sorry Hershel, Beth."

"I'm gonna go back, see if Andrea is really gone or if she's buried under the dead, hiding." Daryl revs the motorcycle.

Rick places one hand on the bars, holding him. "If she was there, alive, she'd've left by now. There's too much woods she could be hiding in, we wouldn't find her. If she's still there, then she's dead."

"What do we do now?"

"Head east."

"Stay off the main roads." Daryl pulls his crossbow off his bike and gestures to the Walker coming towards them, "Bigger the road, the more Walkers, the more assholes like this one. I got him." The arrow goes through the Walker's eye, sending it to the ground. Everyone piles into the two cars while Daryl leads with the motorcycle and they head away from the farm.

They drive until the sun is almost set before Rick's car starts to die, running off fumes. He honks the horn to stop everyone and they pile out.

"We can't all fit in one car and on Daryl's bike." Glenn says.

"We'll make a gas run in the morning." Rick starts looking for a place to settle down.

"What; spend the night here?" Carol asks. Sophia burrows into her side, "I'm freezing."

"We'll build a fire." Daryl says, "But if you go looking for firewood, stay close. Running low on arrows, how're you doing on ammo?"

"Not enough." Rick had started pacing. "Alright, we'll set up a perimeter. In the morning we'll find gas and some supplies, keep pushing on."

"Glenn and I can make a run now, try and scrounge up some gas." Maggie whispers.

"No we stay together. We just found each other again after something traumatic, our bonds are going to make it difficult for us to be too far apart right now. We'll go in the morning but for right now we find shelter somewhere, there's gotta be a place. We'll make camp tonight over there." Rick points to some old ruins of half stone walls, "Get back on the road tomorrow."

"What if another herd or group like Randel's comes through?"

"Did we even find them?" Glenn asks, "What if Shane or Randel come out at night and try to kill us."

"They're dead." Carl says, "Both of them."

"What?" Lori gasps. Rick remembered what Shane had said, about Lori sending him to kill him. He remembers Lori doing the same to him after the Walkers in the barn.

"Shane was going with Randel back to his group, was coming back for you Lori, to take you with them." Rick turns on her, "But he said some pretty funny things too."

The Beta's eyes widened, and she paled. She knew where he was going with this. Rick kept going, "Want to explain why he thought I was trying to court you again and steal his pup? What the hell were you telling him?! Shane wasn't told the combination to the shack; someone told it to him. No one here would have done it, we knew what would happen if he did. You told him the combination, didn't you?"

"Rick I-"

"NO! No more excuses. Randel almost raped Daryl because of you." There was some gasps and Rick's Pack moved closer to the Theta, pushing him further away from the Beta. Sophia wraps her arms around his waist, shaking. "He begged me to kill him, so he wouldn't have to come back here; he shot at Carl to force my hand when I refused to kill him in cold blood."

"You killed him?" Lori shrieked, "You killed my Mate?" She looks at the others, as if waiting for a reaction, only to find them staring at her. She turns back to Rick with tears in her eyes, and a hand on her stomach, "But why?"

"He shot at Carl." Hershel says, "Rick did as any Alpha would and took out the threat to his pup."

"Carl is a boy, not a dog." Lori snaps, "And unless he ends up an Omegan slut, he won't be one ever."

Rick growls and takes a step forward, ready to tear into her along with everyone else, while Daryl pushes Sophia and Carl behind him, his crossbow loaded and pointed at the Beta. The others move away to give him better access. Lori sees it and tries to hide behind Rick. "You wouldn't let him…... Rick you can't let him-"

"Give me one reason I shouldn't?" Rick snarls at her, eyes black.

"Because there are still pups here, watching." Carol speaks up. "She's pregnant too, and I don't know about you guys, but I can't kill her while there's an innocent cub in her."

"So, we give her the next car we find and send her on her way." Glenn growls.

"She won't make it." Beth argues.

"A vote then." Rick says, "Send her away now, or wait for the cub?"

It was a tie between those that had presented; Hershel, Sophia, Beth and Carol for after the cub was born; Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog and Maggie for now. Rick doesn't vote, knowing his decision was clouded, and Lori wasn't allowed to. Rick turns to his pup; the decision was his.

"I know she renounced me," Carl sniffles, "and she doesn't deserve anything from us. But she was my mom until a month ago, and that baby is my half-sibling. Dad, you know I always wanted a little brother or sister. She stays with us until the cub's born, then we D&D her. And she'll be Gamified until then."

Carl, Rick and Daryl tell the rest of the Flock their idea, about the virus being aerial and them all be infected as the start setting up camp. The make a fire and huddle together in silence, Lori staying away from everyone as much as she could, silently fuming. T-Dog is on watch with Rick and Carol has the pups sleeping by her. Maggie and Glenn stay close to her family while Daryl tends to the fire. When Rick and T-Dog come back to get warm Maggie clears her throat.

"I've been thinking, and I've spoken with my dad and Beth too." She grabs Glenn's hand and pulls it close, "Me and Glenn are Courting, and when we Mate, the Packs will merge. That could be at any time…. soon or not for years. We could die at any time…. Soon or not for years. I want to merge the Packs now, so if something happens my family will be safe."

"You know we wouldn't leave one of you behind." Glenn rubs his thumb over her knuckles, scenting her behind her ear.

"I know." Maggie smiles, "But it's still a formality I want to cover as quickly as possible. And Rick," She turns to the Alpha, "I want you to be our Prime. You've proven that you're capable of taking care of us; all of us. The Greene's will follow you."

"Alright." Rick nods, "Let's get some sleep, I'll take first watch."

…

Andrea makes it into the woods with the gun bag, a small herd close on her heels. It was almost midnight by the time she finally went down, the herd still following her, and down to her last bullets. She was using a knife and the gun to bash the heads of the Walkers in, unknowing of the person following her. She takes them all down, except one. She trips over a tree root and the Walker falls on top of her, growling. In a last-ditch effort, the Beta tries to mimic the Howl for help.

A sword cuts the head of the Walker clean off, the person holding it was also holding two Walkers on chains. They had backpacks on but no arms, and their bottom jaws were cut off. They made no move to attack, just staring with unblinking eyes. Andrea backs away as the woman, an Alpha woman, kneels in front of her, flinging the blood from her katana and putting it in its scabbard on her back. She pulls her hood back, revealing an attractive, black woman with dreadlocks around Andrea's age.

"You're quite fierce for a Beta." She says, her face void of emotion except her eyes; they narrow as they consider her. "Where is your Pack?"

"Herd." Andrea gasps, "A herd of Walkers came through. I lost them. My Alpha's dead, his successor and I don't get along; I don't know if I'll be allowed back even if I do find them. Thank you for helping me."

"Come on. We move now." The Alpha woman helps her to her feet and pulls her and the chained Walkers along, "Ignore them, their scent hides ours. We'll camouflage in with them."

"My names Andrea."

"Michonne."


End file.
